The miniature Martian helicopter Ingenuity of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has demonstrated the ability to fly in changing environmental conditions. The fact is that the 14th flight of Ingenuity was carried out in conditions of a decrease in the density of the atmosphere, which is due to the change of seasons and the onset of summer on the Red Planet.
As the temperature in the Jezero crater, where the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter are located, becomes higher, for takeoff it is necessary to rotate the rotor propellers faster and faster. The 14th flight, conducted on Sunday, was short and was intended only to test the possibility of takeoff in the changed conditions. According to the available data, to lift off the surface of Mars, the rotor rotated its blades at a speed of 2700 rpm, while in previous flights for takeoff, rotation of the propeller at a speed of 2537 rpm was sufficient.
Representatives of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have confirmed successful takeoffs and landings, and also said that, if necessary, they can make the Ingenuity rotor spin even faster. “Ingenuity successfully performed a short jump at its current location to test the possibility of using higher RPMs for low-density flights on the Red Planet. This test also confirmed the possibility of increasing revs if future flights require it, ”JPL said in a statement.
The 14th helicopter flight was originally scheduled to take place on September 18, but it was canceled due to an anomaly detected in the propeller control system. After that, scientists ran a series of tests, but the problem could not be reproduced again. Note that initially Ingenuity had to make only five flights to test the possibility of using such machines in the conditions of Mars. However, it completed its 14th flight over the weekend and it will obviously not be the last.
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