The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, made by NASA recently sent its final message back to Earth, and it’s really heartwarming.
This tiny helicopter, residing millions of miles away, was buzzing with gratitude for its team back home.
It’s like receiving a thank-you note from your pet hamster, unexpected, adorable, and just a tad mind-blowing.
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This pint-sized flyer wasn’t just any old copter – it was a true trailblazer.
Sent to Mars alongside NASA’s Perseverance rover, Ingenuity had one mission – to prove that flying on the Red Planet was more than just a pipe dream.
And did it fly? Yes, it did!
In April 2021, it took its maiden voyage, becoming the first aircraft to take flight in the thin Martian atmosphere.
It was a breakthrough in the discovery of Mars.
But Ingenuity didn’t stop there.
Despite its itty-bitty size and the Martian elements throwing shade, this helicopter logged an impressive 72 flights, covering over 10 miles.
Now, as Ingenuity hangs up its propellers with a broken rotor blade in the Jezero Crater, it’s not quite ready to retire to a rocking chair on the porch of its Martian home.
Equipped with some fancy new software, it’s still hard at work, snapping selfies of the Martian landscape, collecting data on its surroundings, and monitoring the temperature.
Retirement? More like re-tire-ment, am I right?
The specifications of Ingenuity feel like it was made to rule the red planet.
The tiny helicopter by NASA weighs about 4 pounds on Earth, but on Mars, it’s as light as a small bag of sugar.
With wings stretching just under 4 feet, it’s like a little drone exploring the Martian skies.
Powered by sunlight, it can fly for about 90 seconds each day on Mars, traveling up to 980 feet away and reaching heights of up to 15 feet.
It’s quite a feat considering Mars has a super thin atmosphere, much thinner than what we have here on Earth.
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter may be small, but its impact is colossal, and its strange findings on Mars till now have been a breakthrough for NASA.
