In February, the Perseverance rover landed on Mars with a small dual-rotor helicopter named Ingenuity strapped to its belly. On Tuesday, NASA said it was targeting “no earlier than April 8” for the chopper’s first flight attempt, which it described as “the first attempt at powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet.” In this gallery, we’ve highlighted some of the best photos of the Martian helicopter ahead of Ingenuity’s pioneering maiden flight attempt on the Red Planet.
SEE: Everything you need to know about Perseverance and the mission (TechRepublic)
Perseverance’s WATSON camera snapped this photo of the rover’s underbelly showing the detached debris shield and the stowed Martian helicopter.
SEE: Everything you need to know about Perseverance and the mission (TechRepublic)
SEE: Everything you need to know about Perseverance and the mission (TechRepublic)
Illustrations showing Ingenuity airborne on Mars.
SEE: Everything you need to know about Perseverance and the mission (TechRepublic)
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped this photo of the Martian surface. The added map shows the rover landing site, helicopter flight zone and the airfield.
SEE: Everything you need to know about Perseverance and the mission (TechRepublic)
In this photo, a mission team member attaches thermal film to a Mars Helicopter flight model.
SEE: Everything you need to know about Perseverance and the mission (TechRepublic)
The Mars helicopter weighs just under four pounds and is strapped to the Perseverance rover’s underside.
SEE: TechRepublic Premium editorial calendar: IT policies, checklists, toolkits, and research for download (TechRepublic Premium)
This photo shows the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover being positioned inside the aeroshell. This structure protected the rover during launch and transport to the Red Planet.
SEE: TechRepublic Premium editorial calendar: IT policies, checklists, toolkits, and research for download (TechRepublic Premium)
The backshell and cruise stage containing the Mars 2020 Perseverance.
SEE: TechRepublic Premium editorial calendar: IT policies, checklists, toolkits, and research for download (TechRepublic Premium)
R. Dallon Adams is a journalist originally from Louisville, Kentucky. His previous work includes a wide spectrum of beats and formats ranging from tech-savvy urban planning initiatives to hands-on gadget reviews.
