On September 3, the Ingenuity drone took flight for the 57th time in the Martian sky. Thanks to this flight, the spacecraft was able to achieve a new milestone, accumulating a total flight time of 100 minutes.
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The primary objectives of the 57th flight were to relocate Ingenuity to a new position and capture images of the surrounding terrain to identify scientific targets for the Perseverance rover. In total, Ingenuity spent 129 seconds in the air, covering a distance of 217 meters during this time. Its maximum altitude reached 10 meters, and its maximum speed reached 3 meters per second.
This new flight allows Ingenuity to cross the symbolic mark of 100 minutes. This is the amount of time the drone has spent in the Martian sky since its first flight on April 19, 2021. As for the total distance covered by Ingenuity, it is slightly over 13 kilometers.
It’s worth noting that Ingenuity is a technological demonstrator. The spacecraft was initially designed for only 30 days of operation, during which it was supposed to complete just five flights. However, as often happens with NASA technology, Ingenuity has repeatedly exceeded its initial plan. Despite some technical challenges, the drone remains in good condition. This raises hopes that the Martian helicopter will continue to set new records and achieve new impressive milestones in the future.
You can also read about how Perseverance discovered a “shark fin” and “crab claws” on Mars.
