Title: NASA Successfully Tests Ingenuity, a Helicopter Capable of Flying in Mars Atmosphere
Subtitle: Indian Scientist Dr J Bob Balaram Designs Ingenuity, Marks Major Milestone in Space Exploration
Date: [Current Date]
The US space agency NASA has achieved a significant breakthrough in space exploration by successfully flying a helicopter called Ingenuity in the alien atmosphere of Mars. Weighing a mere 1.8 kg, the helicopter is part of NASA’s Perseverance rover, which was launched in 2020 and remains active on the red planet.
The mastermind behind the design of Ingenuity is Dr J Bob Balaram, an Indian citizen currently working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Dr Balaram, who studied Mechanical Engineering at IIT, Madras, expressed the challenges encountered during the creation of Ingenuity as skeptics doubted its feasibility.
Ingenuity is an engineering marvel constructed with ultra-lightweight carbon fiber, standing at just half a meter tall. A key aspect of its design was its compatibility with Mars’ unique environment. The density of air on Mars is about one-hundredth of Earth’s at sea level or similar to the air density at an altitude of 27,000 meters, a height never before reached by existing helicopters.
To achieve flight in the Martian atmosphere, Ingenuity’s blades rotate at an incredible speed of 2400 to 2900 rpm, approximately ten times faster than any helicopter on Earth.
Ingenuity marks a groundbreaking experiment to test powered and controlled flight on another planet for the first time. Accompanying the Perseverance rover, the helicopter arrived on Mars on February 18, 2021, and was subsequently deployed on April 3, 2021, once the rover reached a suitable “airfield” location.
Over the course of a 30-Martian-day experimental window, akin to India’s Chandrayaan rover Pragyan, Ingenuity conducted three successful flights for technology demonstration purposes. The first flight, which took place on April 19, 2021, demonstrated Ingenuity’s ability to take off, climb to a height of about 3 meters, hover briefly, complete a turn, and land.
This milestone achievement showcased the impressive feat of achieving powered and controlled flight in the extremely thin atmosphere of Mars, marking a historic moment as the first flight beyond Earth.
Since then, Ingenuity has performed additional experimental flights, covering greater distances and altitudes. To date, it has completed an impressive 64 flights in the thin Martian atmosphere. Dr Balaram described this as a ‘Wright Brothers moment’ on another planet.
Dr Balaram, deeply enthused by India’s successful moon mission, expressed admiration for the Vikram landing and encouraged the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to pursue its own goals.
Looking to the future, an Earth imaging satellite named NISAR, jointly developed by India and the US, is set to take flight from Sriharikota early next year, further strengthening the collaborative space initiatives of the two nations.
As he prepares to retire from NASA, the soft-spoken Dr Balaram aims to contribute towards inspiring Indian students to explore the wonders of space and hopes to make a meaningful contribution to outreach efforts in India. He attributes his success to the hands-on training he received at IIT Madras and believes that countless other talented students have the potential to make India proud.
The successful flight of Ingenuity marks another remarkable achievement in space exploration, opening up new possibilities for future missions on Mars and beyond. It is a testament to the dedication and innovation of scientific minds from around the world, exemplified by the trailblazing work of Dr J Bob Balaram and his team at NASA.