NASA is bringing helicopters to Mars – it should prove almost impossible

The Mars helicopter could become an “innovation” from NASA: it must prove that you can fly through the Martian atmosphere.

Frankfurt – The Planet Mars It is a neighboring planet Land For this reason alone exercises them Research A certain charm. Three space probes are currently approaching the planet and should arrive there in February. The task that gets the most attention is US space agency NASA. She has a lot of experience dealing with Mars and at the same time enjoys the best public relations.

While the Chinese Mars mission “Tianwen-1” only tells us in parts – for example that it has now reached orbit around Mars – you know about it. On the mission “March 2020” so far: Rover ‘perseverance’ It should be on February 18, 2021 Mars Land. Before that, he has to survive the so-called “seven minutes of terror” the rover passes by Thin Mars atmosphere Flies, independently activate parachutes and brake missiles to slow down and independently search for the best place to land.

The Mars helicopter “Creativity” is supposed to fly over the red planet

He has it with him Rover Mars An exciting experience: the little one Helicopter “creativity”. It should be at least a month after landing on Red planet For first time use. It Technology demonstrationCreativity aims to show that it is possible in The Thin Atmosphere of Mars To fly. “We are delighted that we have come so close to showing what ‘creativity’ can do on Mars,” explains project manager MiMi Aung. The helicopter It survived the violent earthquakes during the launch of the missile on July 30, 2020.

It is on the side under the belly Rovers “perseverance” It gets stuck and is powered from time to time. A cover that protects it from debris that occurs during Landing on Mars He will be troubled. After landing, the systems Rover And the helicopter Checked, then the real work begins on Mars.

NASA mission to Mars: “Perseverance” rover takes “creativity” helicopter with it

In the following months to Landing on Mars A good site for that helicopter He will find it “cleverness” Carefully drop it onto the surface of Mars. Then he has only one task: to prove that the engine controls it Rotary wing plane flight Beyond the border Thin Mars atmosphere Maybe. Up to five test flights are planned within the 30 Martian days during which they take place NASAIf one compares “creativity” to a great pioneering achievement: the first motorized ride by the Wright brothers.

But the Mars It holds some challenges for that The ‘creativity’ mission Ready: The red planet’s atmosphere is only about one percent that of Earth’s atmosphere. The Helicopter “creativity” Scheme: It is very light and has very long rotor blades that rotate much faster than is necessary for a helicopter of this weight on the ground. Another challenge: Im Crater LakeThe target landing site for Rovers “perseverance”, It gets cold to minus 90 degrees Celsius. Tim Canham, who works for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), confirms: “Mars doesn’t quite welcome us.” NASA He leads the “creativity” team. “One of the first things creativity should do when it reaches Mars is to survive the first night.”

A helicopter flight on Mars doesn’t have to be easy

Another challenge is to communicate with the little helicopter: it’s done via Mars-Rover “perseverance” Processed – with a time delay. Due to the large distance between Earth and Mars, there is a greater delay in communication, which is why “cleverness” He must make himself decisions based on criteria that engineers have set on Earth.

The NASA-A team on the ground will not be able to view data and images from the “creativity” helicopter until some time has passed since the end of the flight.

Mars helicopter “creativity”: NASA already has ideas for the future

When flying small Mars helicopter Successful, could be more in the future Flying robots Can be used on the red planet. For example, a file NASA Imagine that in the future flying robots could offer a new perspective to Earth-centered robots – and later to humans, too. Also have access to available areas for Rover Difficult to achieve that would be possible. Additionally, she says NASA: “future helicopter It can even help transport light but important cargo from side to side. “The topic most relevant to astronautics missions Mars Become important.

When, however, the first people It lands on Mars, Is still in the stars. Elon Musk and his space company, SpaceX, would like to take people to the Red Planet aboard Starship in six years – but Musk is known for not necessarily meeting his own deadlines. The NASA Wish before the first astronautics Mars landing Just send people to the moon again, which is currently the target for 2024, but it will also likely be delayed into the future due to unrealistic schedules. So it’s entirely possible that Freelancers will continue for the foreseeable future Rover And the helicopter The Mars Humanity needs to be explored. (Tania Banner)