An aerial survey of part of the surface of Mars, carried out by a helicopter, revealedIngenuityNASA’s “Ingenuity” photo released “from another world” of the conical back cover that provided protection for the robotic explorer. [مركبة “بيرسيفيرانس” Perseverance] As he descended fiery towards the surface Mars On February 18, 2021.
In general, entering Mars, landing towards its surface, and stabilizing on it is a challenge for any space mission, as spacecraft withstand intense gravitational forces, high temperatures and pressure changes when entering the planet’s atmosphere at a speed of 20,000 kilometers per hour (12,500 miles per hour).
While NASA’s Perseverance rover made the best-recorded Mars landing in history, the cameras show every detail of the process from the inflating of the parachute to the moment of landing. Previously, scientists say the new images from the helicopter provide extra detail and “a better perspective in a different way”.
Engineer Ian Clark, who worked on the parachute system at Perseverance, said: [الصور] If our systems worked as planned or even provided a single data set of engineering information that we could use in the Martian resampling scheme, that would be great. Unless this is true, the photos are still wonderful and inspiring.”
Dr. Clark of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) added in a statement to the “New York Times,” [الصور] Of course, on the side of science fiction. It exudes something from another world, doesn’t it?”
Atmospheric images of the back cover and debris left by its impact on the Martian surface at approximately 126 kilometers per hour (78 miles per hour) indicate that the protective coating remained intact during the probe’s entry into the atmosphere.
“Many of the 80 high-strength suspension ropes that connect the rear cover to the canopy are visible and in good condition as well,” NASA noted.
While the new Martian images only show a third of the canopy, NASA scientists say the canopy shows no signs of being damaged by supersonic airflow during inflation.
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“NASA” explains that capturing the images required the helicopter to carry out several pre-planned flights and precise maneuvers, adding that making any definitive decision on the wreckage would require “several weeks of analysis.”
“To get the shots we needed, Ingenuity did several maneuvers, but we were confident about it given that complex maneuvers were performed on Flight 10, 12 and 13,” said Havard Gharib, chief pilot for the Ingenuity helicopter at JPL. The landing point enabled us well to photograph an area of interest to the science team tracking Perseverance on Expedition 2, near the Séítah outcrop.”
Scientists say this new area of operations for the helicopter in the dry river delta in the “Yesero crater” on Mars is an important departure from the “modest and relatively flat” terrain that the helicopter has been flying over since its first flight.
And “NASA” indicated, “As it rises… [المكان] More than 130 feet (40 meters) above the crater floor and filled with jagged cliffs, angular surfaces, protruding rocks, and pockets of sand, the delta promises many geological discoveries, and may even provide evidence of microscopic life sized inhabited by Mars billions of years ago.
The data from the Perseverance team’s helicopter will help them assess the potential science targets of their rover for further exploration, as well as assist in the planning of route lines.
In addition, NASA indicates that the Ingenuity may be sent to image geological features far beyond the Perseverance rover.
Scientists add that the helicopter may be useful in exploring the landing areas and sites on the surface of Mars, where it is possible to leave caches of the samples taken for use in the “Mars Sample Return Program” that NASA proposed to implement.