Ingenuitythe small NASA helicopter that made history by becoming the first motorized craft to fly on another planet, met an abrupt end during its 72ème vol. After three years of exploration from the Jezero crater, the device of 1,8 kg crashed onto the Martian surface. Far from signaling the definitive cessation of its activities, this incident opened a new chapter for Ingenuity.
Valuable data despite the crash
While the “otherworldly” images captured by the helicopter have helped explore Mars and discover traces of ancient bodies of water, analysis of data from the accident could prove just as valuable for future space missions. Scientists have indeed noted that the “featureless” surface of Mars played a role in the accident. Ingenuity’s navigation system, unable to find enough landmarks, generated errors that caused “high horizontal velocities upon landing.”
Ingenuity: a new life as a weather station
Although immobilized, Ingenuity is far from out of service. Its health system is “green in all areas”: avionics, battery and sensors are still operational. The helicopter therefore began a new mission: that of weather station. Once a weekit transmits information to the Perseverance rover, data that could prove crucial for future Martian explorers.
A technological legacy for future space missions
Ingenuity also continues to provide avionics data essential for identifying potential defects in electronic devices sent into deep space. This information is valuable to engineers who design future planes and vehicles intended for the Red Planet. The use of commercial cell phone processors in deep space, a first for Ingenuity, opens new perspectives for space missions. As explained Teddy Tzanetosproject manager of Ingenuity, “not everything needs to be bigger, heavier and more radiation-resistant to function in the harsh Martian environment.”
Crashed but not defeated, Ingenuity continues to serve science. In spite of himself, he became a pioneer in the use of lightweight and affordable technologies for space exploration, it once again demonstrates NASA’s ability to innovate and adapt to unforeseen situations. The helicopter, initially planned for a mission of only a few flightswill have finally exceeded all expectations, marking the history of space exploration and opening the way to new discoveries.
