The idea of Ingenuity was dreamed up decades ago
Members of NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter team in the Space Flight Operations Facility at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory react to data showing that the helicopter completed its first flight on April 19. JPL-Caltech/NASA
The dream of Ingenuity began in the 1990s when Jet Propulsion Laboratory robotics technologist Bob Balaram heard Ilan Kroo, a Stanford University professor of aeronautics and astronautics, speak at a conference about a mesicopter, or a miniature airborne vehicle for Earth.
Balaram could imagine it on Mars.
He proposed one for NASA during a call for submissions, but it wasn t selected for funding. The Mars helicopter would sit on the shelf for 15 years as Balaram worked on other Mars missions.
Apr 19, 2021
NASA is targeting no earlier than today (Monday 19 April) for the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.
The flight was set to commence at approximately 03h30 EDT, or 09h30 South African time.
Data from the first flight will return to Earth a few hours following the autonomous flight, with a livestream beginning at 06h15 EDT, or 12h15 South African time, as the helicopter team prepares to receive the data downlink in the Space Flight Operations Facility at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Interested parties can watch on NASA Television, the agency app, website, and social media platforms, including YouTube and Facebook.
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The space agency s helicopter team live-streamed images of the chopper flying on Mars, in the early morning hours on Monday, April 19.
First flight on Mars: NASA s Ingenuity helicopter makes historic lift-off ANI | Updated: Apr 19, 2021 17:58 IST
By Reena Bhardwaj
Washington [US], April 19 (ANI): NASA created history on Monday as it successfully launched a helicopter from the surface of Mars.
The first powered, controlled flight on another planet Mars-copter - called Ingenuity.
The space agency s helicopter team live-streamed images of the chopper flying on Mars, in the early morning hours on Monday, April 19.
Engineers at NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory broke out in cheers upon confirmation that Ingenuity s flight attempt was a success.