Mars Ingenuity helicopter chalks up record flight as NASA extends its mission
CBSN
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, grounded Thursday by a pesky-but-understood software issue, successfully completed its fourth flight in the ultra-thin atmosphere of Mars Friday, kicking off a new phase of extended science operations for the $80 million drone.
"Ingenuity successfully completed its fourth flight today, and we couldn't be happier," project manager MiMi Aung said in an on-line status report. "We have lots of data to analyze. Ingenuity's performance on Mars has been letter-perfect. This is an amazing time for our entire team!" Data from the helicopter, relayed back to Earth via the Perseverance rover and one of NASA's Mars orbiters, confirmed the 4-pound helicopter took off from "Wright Brothers Field" in Jezero Crater around 10:49 a.m. EDT (12:33 p.m. local time on Mars).
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We share our planet with maybe 10 million species of plants, animals, birds, fish, fungi and bugs. And to help identify them, millions of people are using a free phone app. "Currently we have about six million people using the platform every month," said Scott Loarie, the executive director of iNaturalist, a nonprofit.
Washington — As voters gear up for the midterm elections in November that will decide control of the House and Senate, the Supreme Court is set to weigh Monday whether states can count mail ballots that are postmarked by, but arrive after, Election Day.
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The Senate on Saturday blocked an amendment that would ban transgender athletes from playing in women's sports, rejecting one of President Trump's priorities as he pressures Congress to act on a broad voting bill.
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