An illustration depicts the Mars helicopter Ingenuity on Mars. NASA misplaced contact with the chopper this week throughout its 72nd flight on the purple planet. Picture courtesy of NASA
Jan. 20 (UPI) — NASA says it misplaced contact with its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter throughout check flight this week and now’s unsure of its situation.
Ingenuity efficiently executed its 72nd flight on the floor of the purple planet, in keeping with an announcement from NASA issued on Friday. The flight was meant solely to test the helicopter’s methods after it made an sudden touchdown through the earlier flight.
“Knowledge Ingenuity despatched to the Perseverance rover (which acts as a relay between the helicopter and Earth) through the flight signifies it efficiently climbed to its assigned most altitude of 40 ft,” the company mentioned.
On the descent, nevertheless, Ingenuity and Perseverance misplaced communication with one another, leaving the Ingenuity staff in the dead of night as to the helicopter’s situation. NASA officers mentioned the staff is analyzing obtainable knowledge to attempt to reestablish contact with the chopper.
Ingenuity and Perseverance touched down on Mars in February 2021. The 2 are working in tandem, with Perseverance looking for proof of previous life on the purple planet and Ingenuity performing as a scout for the rover.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab said in a post on X that Perseverance is at the moment out of the line-of-sight with the incommunicado chopper, however the staff may drive the rover nearer for a visible inspection.
Regardless of this current setback, Ingenuity gave the impression to be reduce out for all times on Mars. Initially anticipated to carry out simply 5 flights on the planet’s harsh floor, the four-pound chopper has accomplished greater than 70.
NASA additionally misplaced contact with the helicopter final summer season, so the company may presumably re-establish communications once more.
