×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Sunday
27
Jul 2025
weather symbol
Athens 33°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

NASA engineers expected their Mars helicopter to crash after 5 liftoffs. It just landed its 15th flight

NASA sent its Ingenuity helicopter to Mars with no guarantee that it would successfully fly

Newsroom November 10 02:24

NASA employees had a moonshot idea as they were building the Perseverance rover: What if it carried a little helicopter to Mars?

Engineers didn’t know if a helicopter would work on Mars. It would be hard to lift off in air with 1% the density of Earth’s atmosphere. That’s the equivalent of flying at three times the height of Mount Everest. But NASA hoped to prove it was possible through a technology demonstration.

NASA engineers built a little rotorcraft called Ingenuity, then packed it into the last available space in Perseverance’s belly. The engineers weren’t sure that Ingenuity would even survive its first night on the cold Martian surface. They also feared it wouldn’t fly when they gave the command, or that it would crash during one of its five planned flights.

See Also:

Mitsotakis’ answer to a foreign journalist’s question: “I will not accept to insult me and the Greek people” (video)

>Related articles

NASA announces the departure of 20% of its staff

Forced sea landing of firefighting helicopter in Elefsina – Crew swam to safety

What are the dirtiest objects in the house that we touch every day

But Ingenuity dispelled those fears time and again. On Saturday, the tissue-box-sized drone completed its 15th flight.

NASA is still processing data from the latest aerial escapade. But if the flight went according to plan, that would mean Ingenuity rose nearly 40 feet into the air, then zipped over 1,332 feet of Martian ground in just under 129 seconds.

Read more: yahoo

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#helicopter#Ingenuity#Mars#nasa#NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover#space#world
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

The fire in Kythera is out of control – evacuations, damage to villages and dramatic calls for air support

July 27, 2025

Dead sea turtle in Nea Fountain in Thessaloniki

July 27, 2025

Widespread fires across the Mediterranean — NASA satellite map reveals extent

July 27, 2025

Track & field: Tentoglou wins gold at the Balkan Championships with a single leap

July 27, 2025

Scorching heat grips the Greece as heatwave persists

July 27, 2025

He posed as an ambassador of imaginary states and deceived people for a decade – An incredible case in India

July 26, 2025

Request for European assistance for the major fires in Attica, Evia, Messinia and Kythera from the government

July 26, 2025

‘EU trade deal will be the biggest of all if reached,’ said Trump in Scotland

July 26, 2025
All News

> Culture

Ancient Epidaurus: A new multipurpose Pavilion to be built within the Archaeological site

A modern, multipurpose pavilion is set to become part of the wider archaeological site of Ancient Epidaurus, designed to support the Athens Epidaurus Festival. The project, expected to be completed by 2026, is envisioned as a meeting place, creative hub, and symbol of artistic collaboration—built with full respect for the area’s rich cultural and natural […]

July 24, 2025

Albania: The walls of the Church of Saint Nicholas in Mesopotamos “Hid” stunning frescoes – See photos

July 23, 2025

Mendoni meets Armenian counterpart – Four Cultural Cooperation Agreements signed

July 23, 2025

Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76

July 22, 2025

Greek National Opera: Free tickets for unemployed citizens to attend the Opera “Rigoletto” at the Herodion

July 22, 2025
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2025 Πρώτο Θέμα