HOME | DD

Description
Ingenuity has sunk with two legs into a mega-ripple.
NASA is now trying to rescue the Mars helicopter with two short flights within two days (a premiere!) and move it to a more stable location for solar conjunction.

The Mars helicopter sank with two of its four legs into a mega-ripple at the end of its 64th flight on Mars, on Oct. 27, 2023.

Mega-Ripples (or sand ripples), are wind-driven and pose a potential hazard to vehicles on the Red Planet; for example, the helicopter's rotor could tear out during takeoff or lift-off from the surface.

There is also a danger that Ingenuity will sink even deeper into the sand during the solar conjunction. Then the helicopter would no longer be rescueable.

During a solar conjunction, Mars, the Sun and the Earth are aligned (see: mars.nasa.gov/all-about-mars/n… ). Mars disappears behind the sun, so that a smooth communication with the probes is not possible.
At Mars, the solar conjunction occurs every 26 months, so scientists can anticipate this event and make preparations.

For safety reasons, in order not to endanger the spacecraft and missions with erroneous commands, contact is not made.

The only data sent daily during this period is telemetry data, meaning scientists are informed daily how the spacecrafts are doing.

Communications with the Mars probes will cease on Nov. 11, 2023, and resume on Nov. 25, 2023.

To counteract any loss of Ingenuity, NASA decided to act quickly.

According to the plans, the Mars helicopter is expected t fly about 7 meters (65th flight, see: mars.nasa.gov/technology/helic… ) and 0.5 meters (66th flight, see: mars.nasa.gov/technology/helic… ) on two subsequent days (November 1, 2023 and November 2, 2023).

The image was taken on October 27, 2023 (Sol 955 of the Perseverance mission) by the RTE (Return To Earth) color camera and afterwards processed to get a view in more natural colors.
It shows the mega-ripples.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Henning Tritschler

Description
Ingenuity has sunk with two legs into a mega-ripple.
NASA is now trying to rescue the Mars helicopter with two short flights within two days (a premiere!) and move it to a more stable location for solar conjunction.

The Mars helicopter sank with two of its four legs into a mega-ripple at the end of its 64th flight on Mars, on Oct. 27, 2023.

Mega-Ripples (or sand ripples), are wind-driven and pose a potential hazard to vehicles on the Red Planet; for example, the helicopter's rotor could tear out during takeoff or lift-off from the surface.

There is also a danger that Ingenuity will sink even deeper into the sand during the solar conjunction. Then the helicopter would no longer be rescueable.

During a solar conjunction, Mars, the Sun and the Earth are aligned (see: mars.nasa.gov/all-about-mars/n… ). Mars disappears behind the sun, so that a smooth communication with the probes is not possible.
At Mars, the solar conjunction occurs every 26 months, so scientists can anticipate this event and make preparations.

For safety reasons, in order not to endanger the spacecraft and missions with erroneous commands, contact is not made.

The only data sent daily during this period is telemetry data, meaning scientists are informed daily how the spacecrafts are doing.

Communications with the Mars probes will cease on Nov. 11, 2023, and resume on Nov. 25, 2023.

To counteract any loss of Ingenuity, NASA decided to act quickly.

According to the plans, the Mars helicopter is expected t fly about 7 meters (65th flight, see: mars.nasa.gov/technology/helic… ) and 0.5 meters (66th flight, see: mars.nasa.gov/technology/helic… ) on two subsequent days (November 1, 2023 and November 2, 2023).

The image was taken on October 27, 2023 (Sol 955 of the Perseverance mission) by the RTE (Return To Earth) color camera and afterwards processed to get a view in more natural colors.
It shows the mega-ripples.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Henning Tritschler