Iconic first in flight (Ingenuity helicopter on Mars)

[neilparker62]

TL;DR Summary

Ingenuity touch down.

Cleared for take-off on Runway 4 !

 

[berkeman]

Looks like the first flight is scheduled for this Sunday...

https://www.scientificamerican.com/...-helicopter-touches-down-prepares-for-flight/

 

[neilparker62]

Looks like the first flight is scheduled for this Sunday...

https://www.scientificamerican.com/...-helicopter-touches-down-prepares-for-flight/

View attachment 281186

Gonna be epic I'd say.

 

[mfb]

The first full speed spin test had a problem but a repetition was successful. We might get a new schedule soon.
https://www.engadget.com/nasa-mars-flight-test-030634860.html

 

[neilparker62]

Looking good so far anyway!

https://www.engadget.com/nasa-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-flight-date-184556782.html

 

[mfb]

fly Ingenuity "no earlier than" April 19th at about 3:30AM Eastern. Don't worry about staying up all night to follow along, though. A livestream covering the data download won't start until 6:15AM Eastern if all goes smoothly, and the post-flight briefing isn't slated until 2PM Eastern.

If the helicopter didn't abort then it should have flown, but we won't know for at least one more hour.
It's now 5:26 AM Eastern.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/04/19/ingenuity-helicopter-mission-status-center/
Or directly from NASA:

 

[mfb]

Flight confirmed. It landed, it seems to be in a healthy state.

We have flown on two planets now.

Picture from the helicopter downwards:

Picture from Perseverance, I added the red line approximately where the helicopter was on the surface before taking off:

 

[neilparker62]

Awesome - just hope they're going to show some full colour pics of the surrounds taken by Ingenuity. But definitely a moment in history captured in the above pics - thanks for sharing.

 

[neilparker62]

View attachment 281755

A different kind of "selfie" - shadow of Ingenuity and Perseverance tracks marking "Runway 4".

 

[sophiecentaur]

Nasa's first actual video of Ingenuityity is truly fascinating. It's actually doing it!

Notice the small positional adjustments when it hovers. They are being so careful with this; so much is at stake and they can't afford a collision with Mother.

I wonder how many of those other videos, showing simulations, are appreciated for what they are - this is the real thing.

 

[phinds]

They are being so careful with this; so much is at stake and they can afford a collision with Mother.

Clearly you mean they CANNOT affort a collision

 

[256bits]

Sure is quiet running too!
no noise pollution.

 

[mfb]

I thought a second flight would be a week away or so, but no... it already happened!

JPL tweet

Go big or go home! The #MarsHelicopter successfully completed its 2nd flight, capturing this image with its black-and-white navigation camera. It also reached new milestones of a higher altitude, a longer hover and lateral flying.

Note that going home - a sample return mission - would be even bigger in this case.

 

[neilparker62]

A few metres above Planet Earth 1903.

A few metres above Planet Mars 2021.

 

[phinds]

Sure is quiet running too!
no noise pollution.

 

[neilparker62]

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/jpl/first-aerial-color-image-of-mars

Aerial tours - what next ?

 

[dlgoff]

I just subscribed to receive the latest JPL news (Newsletter)

 

[mfb]

Third flight of Ingenuity

It still lands where it takes off, but if they decide to risk a landing elsewhere this looks like it can actually help surveying the area. Just leaving it behind after 5 flights looks like a waste of potential.

 

[dlgoff]

Third flight of Ingenuity

It still lands where it takes off, but if they decide to risk a landing elsewhere this looks like it can actually help surveying the area. Just leaving it behind after 5 flights looks like a waste of potential.

Do you know what the plans are for flights 4 and 5?

 

[berkeman]

Do you know what the plans are for flights 4 and 5?

It's only a rumor, but there was something about Ghost Rider requesting a flyby (of the rover)...

 

[dlgoff]

It's only a rumor, but there was something about Ghost Rider requesting a flyby (of the rover)...

Or maybe a mentor with one of these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2837937131...1291&msclkid=fb0e81c87d7719324edce14277dbe685

edit: just being silly @berkeman

 

[dlgoff]

Do you know what the plans are for flights 4 and 5?

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/with-..._campaign=nasajpl&utm_content=daily20210428-1

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-..._campaign=nasajpl&utm_content=daily20210428-1

 

[dlgoff]

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/with-..._campaign=nasajpl&utm_content=daily20210428-1

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-..._campaign=nasajpl&utm_content=daily20210428-1

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-...aign=nasajpl&utm_content=ingenuity-20210429-1

 

[mfb]

Fourth flight completed - Stephen Colbert

Wait, wrong video.

Fourth flight completed

 

[mfb]

They finally decided to keep Ingenuity around for longer and use it for actual exploration. It's now planned to make scouting flights ahead of Perseverance, guiding it to interesting targets or exploring areas the rover won't reach.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56951752

This will mean landing in less well-explored areas, which comes with a higher risk. But that's still better than not flying at all. New target flight number: Until it breaks down.

 

[neilparker62]

Looking forward to some great pics once they process all the flight data! Seems like the helicopter has already exceeded expectations which is great!

 

[mfb]

Video and audio of the fourth flight, although the audio is really quiet.

Successful fifth flight, first time Ingenuity landed at a different spot.

 

[dlgoff]

...an image seen in 3D when seen through color-filtered glasses.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/seein..._campaign=nasajpl&utm_content=daily20210512-1

 

[neilparker62]

I am definitely going to make those specs!

 

[mfb]

Half an Earth-year on Mars, 12 flights so far. Ingenuity has traveled a longer distance than Perseverance, 2.7 vs. 1.7 km.

Someone made a plot, the last flight is still missing.