NASA's hugely successful Mars helicopter Ingenuity will continue saving data in case future explorers should come its way again.
Earlier this year, the beloved Mars helicopter Ingenuity ended its mission after an incredible 72 flights. Originally designed as a technology test intended to perform just five flights, NASA’s helicopter was the first rotorcraft to fly on another planet and was such a success that it has already inspired plans for more exploration of distant planets using rotorcraft. Its mission came to an end, however, when it damaged one of its rotors, leaving it unable to safely fly.
“With apologies to Dylan Thomas, Ingenuity will not be going gently into that good Martian night,” said Josh Anderson, Ingenuity team lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in a statement. “It is almost unbelievable that after over 1,000 Martian days on the surface, 72 flights, and one rough landing, she still has something to give.
Related However, Ingenuity won’t be shut down completely and left to sit idle. As its electronics are still operational, the team sent a final software update to Ingenuity instructing it to wake up each day, turn on its computers, check its solar power levels, and take a picture of the surface using its camera and record the temperature.
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