NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Lands On Mars Surface From Perseverance Rover Before April 11 Maiden Flight

NASA's Ingenuity mini-helicopter has been dropped on the surface of Mars in preparation for its first flight. The ultra-light aircraft had been fixed to the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18. "#MarsHelicopter touchdown confirmed!" NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory tweeted on April 4. A photograph accompanying the tweet showed Perseverance had driven clear of the helicopter and its "airfield" after dropping to the surface. Ingenuity is expected to make its first flight attempt no earlier than April 11, NASA tweeted. The first flight will involve climbing at a rate of about three feet (one metre) per second to a height of 10 feet (three metres), hovering there for 30 seconds, then descending back to the surface. Watch the video to know more.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 06, 2021 11:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).