NASA Planning Sixth Flight of Mars Ingenuity Helicopter
Voice of America
Officials with the U.S. space agency NASA say they are making plans for the sixth flight of the Mars Ingenuity helicopter, designed to stretch the craft’s capabilities and demonstrate how similar aircraft can support future missions to the planet.
Officials with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) which designed and operates the craft, said the next mission will expand on progress made during its previous May 7 flight, its first one-way trip to a new landing site. Scientists said the sixth flight will also be the first of Ingenuity’s demonstration phase. During its first five flights, the Ingenuity team wanted to know if the aircraft would work as designed — take off, fly, land and take pictures in the process. They also wanted to test its battery functions and performance in Mars’ extreme climate. In all cases, the scientists said it performed beyond expectations. In the new phase, Ingenuity will show its practical applications, including scouting multiple surface features from the air and landing at a different airfield. During this phase, data and images from the flight will be returned to Earth for analysis in the days following.Young women and their coach Dioguinho bring it in for a team huddle at the start of a football training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Agatha strikes a ball during a football training session run by the Bola de Ouro social program, at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024. Relatives watch a football training session for young women run by the Bola de Ouro social program at the Complexo da Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 16, 2024.
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