U.S. Mars exploration drone Indigenuity’settles’ on Mars surface

Input 2021.04.05 14:20

A small helicopter (1.8 kg in weight and 1.2 m wingspan) that left Earth with exploration rover Perseverance landed on the surface of Mars on the 3rd (local time).

The National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Research Institute (JPL) tweeted on the day that “Indigo Newity, which took a 471 million km journey on the Percivirence, fell from a height of 4 inches (10 cm) and touched the surface of Mars. “The next milestone is to survive the night,” he said. Indigo Newity, which was attached in a folded shape at the bottom of the Percidence, was confirmed to have fallen on the surface of Mars after rotating 90 degrees to hold it in place on this day, then spreading four legs.

Interest is focused on whether Persistence will succeed in self-charging using solar panels in the future, and whether parts will not freeze or crack in the process. On Mars, the temperature at night can drop to minus 90 degrees Celsius, so if the heating device does not work properly, the flight attempt itself can become a bubble. In this regard, JPL explained that it plans to check the operation of the solar panel first, charge the battery, and then check the motors and sensors before attempting the first flight of Indigo Newity.

Percivirence plans to conduct a total of five flight tests over 30 days from this month. The goal is to float up to 150m from a height of 5m and float in the air for 30 seconds. JPL believes that indigenous energy will fly as early as the 11th of this month. Upon success, the Wright brothers made their first flight on December 17, 1903, and the human-made aircraft will fly in the sky for the first time since the first flight of mankind. It was given meaning.