Technology
MiMi Aung, an Aerial Explorer of Mars
Her Ingenuity Mars Helicopter team flew a small drone chopper above the planet’s surface in April, an aviation first.
MiMi Aung
Courtesy: AmazonThis article is for subscribers only.
The 10-foot hop above the Martian surface was a Wright brothers-level moment: It proved that aerial surveillance on other planets, a technology critical to space exploration, is possible. As drone capabilities evolve, NASA may have a new tool to deploy on other worlds.
Ingenuity is surveying potential paths for NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover, and it’s investigating areas such as cliffs and outcroppings that would be too dangerous for astronauts to navigate. Since its first jaunt, the helicopter has completed 15 flights, traveling as far as 2,051 feet, at speeds up to 11 mph.