With another Martian flight on July 5, explore the ingenuity of NASA’s tenacious walk and photograph the terrain conditions at Jezero Crater. The helicopter flew over a dune-covered area called Sittah, which the six-wheeled rover overtakes from the south so as not to get stuck in the quicksand.
Perseverance Martian recently tested its own autonavigation feature, which uses artificial intelligence to allow the probe to cover greater distances without interference. Ground guides are even more afraid of sand, because in fine material that’s knee-deep in places, a two-ton vehicle can crash fatally.
New record
The ninth flight was Ingenuity’s longest flight to date: it covered 625 meters and surpassed the Perseverance on Mars.
NASA’s MRO probe orbiting the Red Planet can image rocks up to one meter high with its on-board camera, so the 10-foot color Ingenuity images provide unparalleled images of the surface of Mars.
Beyond the dunes, the helicopter has located a site called “prominent boulders,” which scientists say is part of the fissure system that carries water to the surface. Since the main mission of the Perseverance probe is to search for Martian life, this area is a primary target for collecting exploration well samples and soil samples.
(NASA)
