NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter has achieved a new milestone on Mars as it completed its longest distance flight since Flight 25. The 4-pound (1.8 kilograms) rotorcraft covered a distance of 1,901 feet (579 meters) during its 63rd flight on Thursday, October 19. The news was shared by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Monday via X (formerly Twitter).
Ingenuity’s previous long-distance record was set on Flight 25, which took place on April 8, 2022. During that flight, the helicopter flew 2,310 feet (704 m). This record was followed by Flight 9, which covered a distance of 2,051 feet (625 m) in July 2021. Flight 63 now takes the third spot in terms of distance covered.
The latest flight lasted 143 seconds, according to the mission’s flight log. Ingenuity reached a maximum altitude of 39 feet (12 m) and achieved a top speed of approximately 14.1 mph (22.7 kph). However, these numbers are not new records. According to the flight log, the records for flight duration, altitude, and speed are 169.5 seconds, 66 feet (20 m), and 22.4 mph (36 kph), respectively.
Ingenuity touched down on Mars’ Jezero Crater in February 2021 alongside NASA’s Perseverance rover. Originally, the helicopter’s mission was to demonstrate the feasibility of powered flight in Mars’ thin atmosphere. It successfully completed this task with five flights in the spring of 2021. Following its success, NASA granted a mission extension, allowing Ingenuity to assist Perseverance as a scouting device in the search for signs of life and sample collection.
The Ingenuity helicopter has paved the way for future Mars exploration and opened new possibilities for aerial exploration of other celestial bodies. Its continued success is a testament to human ingenuity and technological advancement in space exploration.