NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter could become a weather station on Mars for 20 years

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, initially deployed by NASA to test the feasibility of powered flight on Mars, has been repurposed as a weather station after a crash that ended its flight capabilities, according to reports. According to updates shared at the 2024 American Geophysical Union (AGU) annual meeting in Washington DC, the helicopter suffered rotor damage during its 72nd flight on January 18, 2024. Although the crash left it unable to fly, its systems remain still in use on board. functional and offers the potential for continued data collection on Mars.

Crash investigation and findings

During the AGU presentation, Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), explained in a statement that despite the crash, the helicopter’s electronics, batteries and sensors are operational. He noted that she has one final gift, which is that she will now continue as a kind of weather station, recording telemetry and making images every sol. According to reports, investigations revealed that the helicopter’s navigation system encountered problems due to the uniform texture of the Martian terrain, which did not provide enough data for safe landing guidance.

Håvard Grip, the helicopter’s first pilot, elaborated on the challenges of the crash analysis and highlighted the lack of direct access to the crash site. He stated that the accident site is more than 100 million miles away, making it difficult to confirm certain details of the sequence of events.

Continued contributions and future challenges

Although the flight missions have concluded, Ingenuity will retain the capacity to collect and store telemetry data for up to 20 years, as shared by NASA scientists. However, communication between the helicopter and Earth depends on the Perseverance rover, which is now 3 kilometers away. Tzanetos also stated that permanent loss of contact with Ingenuity could occur within a month, barring any unforeseen developments.

Looking ahead

As Ingenuity’s mission ends, JPL has begun exploring concepts for a new Mars helicopter, according to sources. The plans include a six-rotor design that can carry scientific instruments and autonomously travel greater distances on the surface of Mars.