Space
The largest and most ambitious Martian drone yet could carry kilograms of scientific equipment over great distances and set itself down on the Red Planet unassisted
By Matthew Sparkes
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The Ingenuity Mars helicopter, the predecessor to Chopper
NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA is working on plans to send another helicopter to Mars. The craft would land itself after screaming into the planet’s atmosphere at speed, before covering several kilometres a day while carrying scientific equipment.
Several landers have safely touched down on the surface of Mars using parachutes and rockets to slow their descent. Some have even contained wheeled rovers that could explore the surface. Then came NASA’s helicopter drone Ingenuity. Although it was engineered on a shoestring budget, it managed to make a surprising 72 flights on the Red Planet,…
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