This is what the small Ingenuity helicopter should look like in flight.

(illustration) -

HANDOUT / NASA / JPL-CALTECH / AFP

The NASA Ingenuity mini-helicopter, which arrived on Mars in February attached to the Perseverance rover, has just detached from it and is therefore now on the surface of the Red Planet, NASA announced.

This ultralight helicopter, which looks like a large drone, had arrived folded up and strapped under the Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars on February 18, and remained there until the rover reached where it should have take place the theft.

“Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey ended with that little 4 inch (10 cm) jump from the rover's belly to the surface of Mars.

Next test: survive the night, ”the NASA lab in charge tweeted.

A photo accompanying the tweet showed Perseverance walking away from the helicopter.

He absolutely must clear his sight in less than 25 hours, because the helicopter will need the sun to supply its solar panels with energy, and thus be able to survive by warming itself during the frosty Martian nights.

#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed!

Its 293 million mile (471 million km) journey aboard @NASAPersevere ended with the final drop of 4 inches (10 cm) from the rover's belly to the surface of Mars today.

Next milestone?

Survive the night.

https://t.co/TNCdXWcKWE pic.twitter.com/XaBiSNebua

- NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) April 4, 2021

Still a few days before the first flight

Ingenuity has so far fed off the rover's energy, but now it will have to fend for itself.

"There is a small radiator which makes it possible to maintain a temperature of around 7 ° Celsius inside the helicopter, while the temperatures at night on Mars can drop to -90 °", explained Friday Bob Balaram , chief engineer of the Mars Helicopter project.

“This helps protect the device's key equipment,” he added.

For the next two days, the ground crew will verify that the solar panels are working as expected, before starting to test the motors and sensors before the first flight, which is not expected to take place until April 11.

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  • Perseverance

  • Space

  • Nasa

  • March

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