NASA’s Ingenuity mission will support the science campaign of the agency’s Perseverance rover exploring the ancient river delta of Jezero Crater until September 2022. The announcement comes on the heels of the rotorcraft’s 21st successful flight, the first of at least three needed for the helicopter to cross the northwest portion of a region known as Séítah and reach its next staging area.
NASA’s Perseverance rover acquired this image on April 22, 2021, using its left Mastcam-Z camera. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS.
“Less than a year ago we didn’t even know if powered, controlled flight of an aircraft at Mars was possible,” said Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
“Now, we are looking forward to Ingenuity’s involvement in Perseverance’s second science campaign.”
“Such a transformation of mindset in such a short period is simply amazing, and one of the most historic in the annals of air and space exploration.”
Ingenuity’s new area of operations is entirely different from the modest, relatively flat terrain it has been flying over since its first flight on April 2021.
Several kilometers wide and formed by an ancient river, the fan-shaped delta rises more than 40 m (130 feet) above the crater floor.
Filled with jagged cliffs, angled surfaces, projecting boulders, and sand-filled pockets that could stop a rover in its tracks, the delta promises to hold numerous geologic revelations — perhaps even the proof necessary to determine that microscopic life once existed on Mars billions of years ago.
Upon reaching the delta, Ingenuity’s first orders will be to help determine which of two dry river channels Perseverance should take when it’s time to climb to the top of the delta.
Along with routing assistance, data provided by the helicopter will help the Perseverance team assess potential science targets.
Ingenuity may even be called upon to image geologic features too far afield, or perhaps scout landing zones and caching sites for the Mars Sample Return program.
“The Jezero river delta campaign will be the biggest challenge the Ingenuity team faces since first flight at Mars,” said Ingenuity team leader Dr. Teddy Tzanetos, a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“To enhance our chances of success, we have increased the size of our team and are making upgrades to our flight software geared toward improving operational flexibility and flight safety.”
Before aerial reconnaissance of the delta can begin, Ingenuity has to complete its journey to the area.
Scheduled for no earlier than March 19, 2022, Ingenuity’s next flight will be a complex journey, about 350 m (1,150 feet) in length, that includes a sharp bend in its course to avoid a large hill.
After that, the team will determine whether two or three more flights will be required to complete the crossing of northwest Séítah.
“The upcoming flight will be my 22nd entry in our logbook,” said Ingenuity chief pilot Håvard Grip, also from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“I remember thinking when this all started, we’d be lucky to have three entries and immensely fortunate to get five. Now, at the rate we’re going, I’m going to need a second book.”
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This article is based on text provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
