Send As with the first human moon landing in 1969, NASAâs Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, is both a small step and a giant leap. Although perhaps that should read âshort flight, giant journeyâ or some other revision of Neil Armstrongâs famous words. Chennai: Either way â and do or die â Ingenuity is a first step towards astronauts traveling to Mars and eventually coming back to Earth. First, itâs about learning how to fly an object on Mars, where the atmosphere is thinner than Earthâs own atmosphere. Thatâs significant because a planetâs atmosphere can affect how things take off from the ground and fly about, how they navigate their way, and how they land again. Safely.Â