NASA’s Perseverance Rover took a look at the exposed Ingenuity helicopter mounted under its belly.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Perseverance Rover is doing its part to make the first powered, controlled flight happen on another planet. The companion of the Rover, the Ingenuity helicopter, will soon meet the ground on Mars.
NASA shared a first look at the small copper under the belly of the crossbar after dropping a protective shield.
“The debris shield is going away, and here’s our first look at the helicopter. It’s stored sideways, folded and locked in place, so an inverted origami has to be done before I can put it down,” NASA tweeted Sunday.
Gone is the junk shield, and here’s our first look at the helicopter. It is stored sideways, folded and locked in place, so there is an inverted origami to do before I can put it down. First I leave for the designated ‘helipad’, a few days’ drive from here. pic.twitter.com/E9zZGQk5jQ
– NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) 21 March 2021
Perseverance moves to what NASA calls the ‘helicopter platform’, the designated place for finding ingenuity on the ground. The view under the belly comes from a camera mounted at the end of the robotic arm of the rover.
NASA will share more details on the procedures and plans for the implementation of Ingenuity during an information session on Tuesday. The copter is considered a high-risk, high-reward technology demonstration. It will be spectacular if it works, but not surprising if it does not work.
The space agency also shared a video of a test on earth showing how the helicopter will sit. It is a multi-step operation that requires the ingenuity, the landing legs must be unlocked and dropped on the surface.
Next week lots of activities as I get ready to unload the helicopter for its test flights. It lies beneath me behind a protective debris shield, which is the first thing to go.
Here’s my team testing some of what’s coming: pic.twitter.com/CWwtGw87EX
– NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) 20 March 2021
The robber has recently thrown away certain parts of himself. Speed’s debris shield follows Perseverance left an ejectable tummy tuck earlier this month. Those pieces have done their duty and are no longer needed.
The Perseverance Rover landed in February, but already has many beautiful images and sound of the red planet. Ingenuity’s deployment will be the start of a whole new aerial adventure on Mars.
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