NASA Regains Contact with Mars Helicopter Ingenuity
NASA has regained contact with its Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, after temporarily losing communication during its descent. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced that communication was restored between Ingenuity and its counterpart rover, Perseverance, two days after the loss of contact. The incident occurred during Flight 72, a short vertical flight to test the helicopter's systems. JPL is currently reviewing the data to determine the cause of the communication dropout.
Communication Restored with Ingenuity
NASA has successfully regained contact with its Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, after experiencing a temporary loss of communication. The incident happened during Flight 72, which was a short vertical flight to assess the helicopter's systems. Two days after the communication dropout, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced that communication had been restored between Ingenuity and its counterpart rover, Perseverance. Currently, JPL is studying the data to investigate the cause of the issue.
During Flight 72, the helicopter flew to an altitude of 12 meters before returning to the ground. The entire process lasted just over 32 seconds, at which point communication was lost. Perseverance is responsible for transmitting data between the helicopter and Earth, and it successfully reestablished contact during long-duration listening sessions. JPL stated that the team is reviewing the new data to gain a better understanding of the unexpected communication dropout.
Ingenuity's Achievements on Mars
Ingenuity, along with its rover partner Perseverance, arrived on Mars in February 2021. As the first autonomous motorized vehicle and helicopter to fly on another planet, Ingenuity's achievements are groundbreaking. In December, NASA celebrated their 1000th day of operations on Mars. Despite the slightly longer Martian days, the duo has been exploring Jezero Crater, with the mission's goal of searching for signs of ancient life and collecting rock and dust samples for potential return to Earth.
Perseverance's path on Mars can be observed on a map created with images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISA camera and the European Space Agency's Mars Express High Resolution Stereo camera. This collaboration provides valuable insight into the mission's progress and discoveries. Ingenuity's recent flights, including Flight 72, aim to test and refine the technology for future Mars missions.
ESA Discovers Significant Water Deposits on Mars
In the realm of Martian discoveries, the European Space Agency (ESA) recently reported a remarkable find by its Mars Express orbiter. The orbiter identified extensive ice water deposits beneath the Martian surface, specifically at the equator. ESA's scientists described this as the largest amount of water ever detected in that region. Previously, in 2007, the mission had observed what was thought to be unidentified water deposits. However, further analysis using radar has confirmed that these deposits are actually composed of ice.
The ice water deposits were found to have a depth of approximately 3.7 kilometers, thicker than previously believed. This significant amount of water has caught the attention of researchers, as it could be crucial for future manned missions to Mars. However, accessing these deposits is currently challenging due to the extensive layer of dust covering them. ESA's Mars Express project scientist, Colin Wilson, explains that despite the difficulties, every discovery of ice helps enhance scientists' understanding of Mars' historical water flow and its potential presence today.
