After reaching Mars with the Perseverance rover in early 2021, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter proved a huge success as it exceeded expectations with an astonishing 72 flights across the Martian surface.

But three years after entering the history books by becoming the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet, Ingenuity sustained damage to one of its rotor blades in early 2024, preventing it from flying again. Recommended Videos

Still, the aircraft’s successful mission , which saw it map parts of the Martian surface and assist Perseverance, inspired NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineers to work on next-generation models for future missions to Mars and possibly beyond.

Testing the new helicopter’s software and hardware involves heading to location

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