This is the end of a mission that has exceeded all expectations: after almost three years on Mars, the small helicopter Ingenuity will no longer fly above the red planet, due to a problem that occurred during its 72nd flight, announced NASA on Thursday January 25.

“What Ingenuity has accomplished far exceeds what we thought possible,” NASA boss Bill Nelson said in a video. The helicopter "paved the way for future flights in our solar system."

Flight 72. That's the final flight for our Ingenuity #MarsHelicopter.



Ingenuity and its team proved that powered, controlled flight on another world was possible. #ThanksIngenuity. You may remain, but your legacy will continue to soar: https://t.co/uEe2ZAw2ML pic.twitter.com/9YlmWFpl2z

— NASA (@NASA) January 25, 2024

In 2021, Ingenuity became the first motorized device to fly on another planet. He thus proved that it was possible to fly in Martian air, with a density equivalent to only 1% of that of the Earth's atmosphere.

The helicopter was originally only supposed to take off five times, but due to its very good performance, the mission was extended – until today.

During its 72nd flight last week, the helicopter reached an altitude of 12 meters, but communication was abruptly interrupted shortly before landing. It was finally able to be restored the next day, but NASA teams were able to observe “damage” to a rotor blade a few days later. “We are looking into the possibility that the blade may have hit the ground,” Bill Nelson said.

The helicopter is now "no longer capable of flying", NASA confirmed in a press release, specifying that the causes of the interruption of communication were still being studied.

During its 71st flight, Ingenuity had to make an emergency landing, the space agency said. The 72nd was therefore scheduled as a short flight, allowing it to be better located.

Remarkable longevity

Weighing only 1.8 kg, the helicopter looked more like a large drone. In total, he covered some 17 kilometers and flew to an altitude of 24 meters. His cumulative flight time amounts to more than two hours.

He arrived on Mars in February 2021, with the Perseverance rover, whose mission is to look for traces of ancient microbial life on Mars.

Ingenuity was thus able to play the role of aerial scout to help its wheeled companion.

The latter is "too far away to try" to visit the helicopter and photograph it, NASA said.

The longevity of Ingenuity is remarkable, knowing that it had to survive the freezing Martian nights by warming itself thanks to solar panels charging its batteries during the day.

The American space agency is working on another flying machine project, as part of the Dragonfly mission, this time with Saturn's largest moon, Titan, as its destination.

With AFP

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