The first helicopter that landed on Mars accompanying the Perseverance Rover has phoned home for the first time as its 31-day journey on the red planet begins
NASA's Perseverance Rover successfully landed on Mars on Thursday, after launching on 30 July, to begin its mission to find signs of extraterrestrial life and collect various samples of rocks to return to our home planet. All the while, the first-ever helicopter also made a successful landing after hitching a ride under the belly of the Perseverance Rover. While the Mars Rover is tasked to seek alien life, the Ingenuity Mars helicopter will test the first powered, controlled flight on the planet.
It's quite difficult to fly a helicopter on Mars. Scientists, engineers, and the like have to deal with limited communication, accurate power requirements, and the red planet's very thin atmosphere. To say this is a momentous achievement for mankind is an understatement.
Although NASA has performed flight tests back home here on Earth in extremely cold environments to mimic Mars' temperature, the Ingenuity Mars helicopter has yet to survive its first night on the real site—at the Jezero Crater. The Ingenuity Mars helicopter has been designed and tested to withstand the unique characteristics of the red planet. For 30 Martian days, Ingenuity is expected to go through up to five test flights.
That's 31 days on Earth. While the first helicopter is being tested on a foreign planet's terrain, more individuals are beginning to consider living on Mars for a lifetime. But what would that actually be like?
Read more: Rockstar Physicist Brian Cox On Why Mars Is The Future
