A bittersweet farewell from Mars: Ingenuity's final transmission
20 April 2024 18:12
The Martian helicopter Ingenuity, which has been exploring the Red Planet since February 2021, has sent its final message to Earth. Live Science said it was an emotional farewell to the scientists involved in the mission.
The NASA-owned Martian helicopter Ingenuity touched down on the Red Planet alongside the rover Perseverance at the bottom of the Jezero crater in February 2021. This location, once likely a lake brimming with organic matter, was selected as the prime spot on Mars for searching for signs of past Martian life.
Ingenuity - NASA's helicopter concludes its Mars mission
Ingenuity has been operational on Mars for over three years. It carried out 72 flights at this time – a significant achievement considering that experts initially predicted it would manage only five. Despite amassing a wealth of valuable data, its exploration has ended due to several challenges, including a significant malfunction.
On its final flight on January 18, 2024, the helicopter crashed following a brief loss of communication with NASA controllers. As Live Science reported, the helicopter descended onto the Martian surface from an approximate height of 1 metre, causing severe damage to two of its four rotor blades. This incident compelled NASA to terminate the mission on January 25.
Ingenuity beamed its last transmission to Earth on April 16, sharing data saved in its memory, details about its last flight, and a goodbye message to the mission team. NASA has stated that while Ingenuity will not take to the skies again, it won't cease collecting data about the Red Planet for as long as it functions.
The device will power up daily to test its onboard electronics, capture images of the Martian surface, and gather temperature data from an area scientists have dubbed "Valinor Hills", the site of its final landing. Nonetheless, this data will remain on Mars, stored within the device's memory, awaiting future Martian missions or astronauts to retrieve it.
This data collection, as highlighted by Live Science, will stand as Ingenuity's "final gift" to humanity. NASA stresses that, despite this ending, the pioneering helicopter's mission will be remembered as a monumental success, with the insights and knowledge acquired paving the way for future expeditions to Mars.
