On September 24, NASA's Ingenuity helicopter completed its 33rd powered flight into the atmosphere of Mars. Researchers from
Helicopter camera images showa moving object resembling a piece of plastic bag that has caught on one of the four legs of Ingenuity. Approximately in the middle of the flight, he fell off or simply disappeared from the camera.
Video from the helicopter camera. A foreign object is visible in the upper right corner. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Researchers do not yet know what exactly it was, but it is possible that one of the elements of the device fell off during a hard landing after one of the previous flights.
Despite the foreign object, the flight took place inin normal mode and the helicopter completed all the assigned tasks, NASA reported. After further analysis, they will present explanations of what this "package" was.
The helicopter was originally supposed toIngenuity will only fly by about five times to demonstrate that humans can perform controlled flight in Mars' thin atmosphere. But, the last mission was already the 33rd lift of the device into the air. After completion of flight testing, the Martian helicopter performs the functions of "explorer and navigator" for the Perseverance rover.
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