Crash of the Mars helicopter Ingenuity: navigation system failed due to terrain

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity failed on its last flight on the Red Planet due to the ground being too uniform, which confused the navigation system. This is suggested by analyses carried out by the US space agency, the results of which have now been made public. Although other scenarios are also possible based on the analyzed data, "we have one that we think is the most likely", explained Ingenuity's pilot Håvard Grip. Because the helicopter's navigation system, which was based on camera images, was unable to find enough surface features for orientation around 20 seconds after take-off, the helicopter crashed. The rotors were damaged in the process.

Abrupt end in January

Ingenuity flew for the 72nd and final time on January 18. After the small aircraft had ended the previous flight with an emergency landing, it was only supposed to fly upwards and not move sideways. As planned, the helicopter reached a height of 12 meters and then hovered for 4.5 seconds before beginning to descend again. Contact was then lost one meter above the ground and could only be re-established the next day. It then became clear that at least two rotor blades had touched the ground and were damaged. One was even flung away and has been lying several meters away ever since. The helicopter's mission was then terminated.

As those responsible for controlling the helicopter at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) now explain, they believe it is most likely that the device began to move unevenly due to the inadequate navigation data. As a result, it tilted sideways in flight and landed on the ground at an angle. Due to the strong forces acting on the rotors, they broke off. However, the device itself was not damaged and continues to send weather data to the slowly moving Perseverance rover once a week, JPL revealed.

Successors are being prepared

The fact that Ingenuity is still active after almost four years on Mars also indicates that not all devices need to be made "bigger, heavier and more radiation-resistant" for the harsh conditions there, adds project manager Teddy Tzanetos. To save costs, the helicopter was equipped with commercially available smartphone processors, for example, instead of the usual custom-made products. NASA is therefore already preparing possible follow-up missions that make use of such findings. One concept is called "Mars Chopper" and consists of a much larger helicopter that is designed to fly up to three kilometers. Ingenuity's record is 700 meters.

Ingenuity landed together with Perseverance at the beginning of 2021 and was only supposed to fly on the Red Planet five times. NASA also wanted to pave the way for follow-up missions. The helicopter was the first device to take off from another celestial body. Because it worked so well, it was allowed to accompany the main mission from then on. Ingenuity explored the area for Perseverance and flew ahead of the rover again and again. Unable to fly himself, he then helped to process the crash. Even if contact with Perseverance is finally broken off, the device will continue to collect data for years to come, which may be retrieved in the distant future.

(mho)