NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter on Mars had its last flight in January, but engineers received its final transmission on April 16. Despite sustaining damage from a rough landing, it continued to collect data and communicate with the Perseverance rover. Unfortunately, with Perseverance moving on, the communications link has now been severed. Ingenuity’s farewell message paid tribute to its team and included the names of the people who worked on the project.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs mission controllers facilitated the farewell message by sending it first to Perseverance, which then transmitted it to Ingenuity and back to the rover for communication with Earth. Ingenuity relied on Perseverance as a communications base station since it doesn’t directly communicate with NASA. The rotorcraft is now located in the Jezero Crater with a broken rotor blade at a spot named Valinor Hills, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”
Ingenuity will not be gently “going into that good Martian night” as it starts an unusual retirement program. The helicopter received a software update to continue collecting data on its solar panels, taking color pictures of the planet’s surface, and measuring temperature. This operation will continue as long as the helicopter remains operational, despite not being able to communicate with the rover anymore. Part of the final communication also confirmed that the new software was functioning correctly.
As all machines on Mars eventually succumb to various factors, Ingenuity’s solar panels could gradually accumulate dust, potentially hindering its power supply. The helicopter also faces challenges from the planet’s harsh and cold conditions. Any data collected by Ingenuity will remain stored onboard, with NASA stating that its memory could hold up to 20 years’ worth of daily data. Despite these challenges, Ingenuity leaves behind a remarkable legacy of aerial accomplishment.
Originally designed as a technology demonstration, Ingenuity surpassed expectations by becoming the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flights on another planet in April 2021. The initial goal was to conduct five flights, but it managed to complete a whopping 72 flights covering a distance of 10.5 miles. It transitioned from a demonstration to working as a scout for the Perseverance rover, showcasing the potential for helicopters in future missions. Although Ingenuity may currently be inactive, the team is focused on developing the next Mars helicopter based on lessons learned from Ingenuity’s achievements and challenges.
As Ingenuity transforms into a time capsule, it remains operationally alive for the time being. Project manager Teddy Tzanetos emphasized that Ingenuity will be waiting at Valinor Hills with its final data for when humanity returns, whether with a rover, a new aircraft, or future astronauts. This final data will serve as a testament to the daring nature of space exploration and the accomplishments achieved by the Ingenuity team.
