After 35th flight to Mars, NASA Ingenuity drone prepares for 36th (maybe tomorrow)

A few days ago we wrote about how NASA Perseverance collected a sample (but now there are two) of Martian regolith. Meanwhile the little one NASA Ingenuity drone had completed the 35th flight, the first with horizontal movement after the software update that took place in the past few weeks. As already mentioned several times in the past, this helicopter is once again proving to be much more resistant than one could imagine, exceeding all expectations.

The result allows us to acquire more and more data on the possibility of developing drones with greater complexity to send to other planets (or natural satellites, such as Dragonfly which will fly to Titan). We also remind you that two units of “Ingenuity class” will be the backup solution for the recovery of the samples Mars Sample Return mission in case the Perseverance rover is no longer available in the next few years. Here is the latest information.

NASA Ingenuity is preparing for its 36th flight

When we wrote a few days ago about the 35th flight data were not yet available. JPL has now updated the flight log allowing us to know that during this (successful) attempt that took place on December 3 during sol 635 il drone moved horizontally 15 meters (always remaining in airfield X). Interestingly NASA Ingenuity has risen to one maximum altitude of 14 metersnever reached before.

This was possible both thanks to the software update and to the information obtained from the laser altimeter in previous flights. The maximum altitude was reached during flights 10, 11 and 15 by touching 12 meters (which was the previous limit of the laser altimeter). The maximum speed was 3 m/s while the duration was 52″.

Altogether NASA Ingenuity it covered a distance of 7407 meters flying at a maximum altitude of 14 meters (as written) and at a maximum speed of 5.5 m/s for a total of 59.9 minutes. The JPL extension also released the information on the 36th flight which will be no earlier than tomorrow. THE preliminary data speak of a duration equal to 60.82″, a horizontal distance of 110 meters, a maximum speed of 5.5 m/s with a maximum altitude of 10 meters. In recent days, before the 35th flight, the NASA Perseverance rover he also managed to capture a distant image of the drone while it was on a slightly inclined surface in the vicinity of the location called Séítah (explored by the rover itself).

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