• News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
Wreck of NASA’s crashed Mars Ingenuity helicopter could have a new purpose for the next twenty years

Home> Science> Space

Published 15:14 2 Jan 2025 GMT

Wreck of NASA’s crashed Mars Ingenuity helicopter could have a new purpose for the next twenty years

It looks like all hope is not lost for the Mars explorer

Rikki Loftus

Rikki Loftus

The wreck of NASA’s crashed Mars Ingenuity helicopter could have a brand new purpose for the next twenty years.

The helicopter was retired from service earlier last year after it crashed during its 72nd flight.

It seemed like that was it for the copter which is fondly known as ‘Ginny’, and it was thought by many that its days exploring Mars were done.

The helicopter has been given a new purpose (NASA/JPL-Caltech)
The helicopter has been given a new purpose (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Advert

However, NASA has revealed that Ginny now has a new lease of life and the helicopter’s space travel is far from over.

The helicopter spent 208 days traveling to Mars and first landed on the Red Planet back in 2021.

Part of its tasks was exploration to help those of us back on Earth to better understand Mars.

According to the space agency, the helicopter was able to successfully fly ‘in the extremely thin Martian atmosphere’, and during those flights it previewed ‘areas of Mars of possible interest for the Perseverance rover to explore’.

Advert

NASA went on to say that Ginny ‘paved the way for future aerial explorers at Mars and, potentially, other space destinations’.

The helicopter will continue to collect data from Mars (Stocktrek Images/Getty Images)
The helicopter will continue to collect data from Mars (Stocktrek Images/Getty Images)

On the website, NASA said: “Originally designed as a technology demonstration to perform no more than five test flights over 30 days, Ingenuity quickly proved it was capable of even more than NASA imagined. Its flights became longer, higher, faster, and more adventurous. Ingenuity later took on another assignment as an operations demonstration to serve as an aerial scout to preview possible areas for the Perseverance rover to explore.

“Over the course of its mission life, the helicopter completed 128.8 flying minutes, covering 10.5 miles (17.0 kilometers), and reaching altitudes as high as 78.7 feet (24.0 meters).”

Advert

In three years, Ginny completed 72 flights but that all changed in January 2024 when it crashed and became stranded.

However, NASA has since found out that the helicopter’s battery and sensors are all still working which means it is still able to carry out important work.

While the likelihood that Ginny will ever fly again is slim to none, it will still be able to collect data on Mars and send it back to Earth.

This includes things like recording weather information in order to give scientists useful insight on the conditions their other rovers are facing and will come in handy for the future of deep space travel.

Advert

NASA said: “The avionics data is already proving useful to engineers working on future designs of aircraft and other vehicles for the Red Planet.”

Featured Image Credit: Stocktrek Images/Getty Images/NASA/JPL-Caltech
Nasa
Mars
Space
Science
Earth

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

9 hours ago
a day ago
  • 9 hours ago

    Disturbing simulation shows how much microplastic we consume every week and the result is terrifying

    Paper straws suddenly don't seem so bad

    Science
  • a day ago

    Surgeon claims he's ready to do the world's first ever human head transplant

    The science still has a long way to go

    Science
  • a day ago

    Oldest protein fragments ever recovered from 18,000,000 year-old teeth

    They open up significant new avenues for historical research

    Science
  • a day ago

    People mind-blown after fascinating footage captures rare cloud formation that looks like 'alien invasion'

    Someone call Area 51

    Science
  • NASA’s Mars helicopter found 'otherworldly' wreckage on planet's surface
  • Largest piece of Mars ever on Earth could fetch stunning $4,000,000 at auction
  • Asteroid worth $10,000,000,000,000,000,000 could have shocking unintended consequences
  • NASA discovers ‘Super Earth’ sending mysterious message 154 light years away