Happy Anniversary, Mars Ingenuity!

The helo that could has now flown 21 flights above the red planet.

Jeremy King

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at 10:57 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter has significantly surpassed its initial mission of five test flights on Mars, completing 21 flights and nearly 39 minutes of total flight time by March 11.
Originally a small, experimental component of the Perseverance Rover mission, Ingenuity has proven the viability and value of aerial exploration on Mars by successfully navigating between multiple landing zones.
The helicopter carries a piece of the original Wright Flyer and its first flight site was named Wright Brothers Field, connecting its groundbreaking Martian flights to Earth's aviation history and influencing future aerial exploration missions.

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Last February, we watched with bated breath as the NASA Perseverance Rover descended to the Red Planet in dramatic fashion. Attached to the rover was Ingenuity, a plucky chopper that seemed little more than a footnote at the time, scheduled for five flights to explore the feasibility of exploring Mars from above.

On March 11, the 4-pound helicopter logged its 21^st flight above Mars. To date, it has flown nearly 39 minutes total, and has hopped between a number of landing zones. Its logbook is available online for those who want to follow along!

A shot from Ingenuity’s 20th flight, with the camera mounted in the fuselage and pointed directly at the ground during flight. Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Ingenuity is plying the skies of Mars with a bit of history attached—a small swatch of fabric from the original Wright Flyer, and the first site where it flew was dubbed Wright Brothers Field. We’ll be staying tuned to see how the helicopter continues to broaden our familiarity with the red planet—and we’re anxious to see what might be next in the works as a follow-on!