NASA's Mars helicopter spins up its blades ahead of hoped-for 12 April hover
- Reference: 1617989348
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/04/09/ingenuity/
- Source link:
The [1]downlink from the first flight is [2]due on 12 April at 0730 UTC (0330 ET) with a postflight briefing scheduled for 1500 UTC (1100 ET). The dates currently carry a "not earlier than" prefix as engineers keep an eye on Martian conditions, but the testing of the diminutive device's rotors indicates there is every chance the first flight will go ahead.
[3]
🎶Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle 🎶
With just a little bit of swing, the [4]#MarsHelicopter has moved its blades & spun to 50 rpm in preparation for first flight! Takeoff is slated for April 11, with confirmation expected overnight into April 12 for us Earthlings. [5]https://t.co/TNCdXWcKWE [6]pic.twitter.com/EpDZymjP13 — NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) [7]April 9, 2021
Having been deposited on the ground by the Perseverance rover, Ingenuity has been prepared for flight over recent days. Engineers have been balancing a number of factors ahead of that first attempt above the surface of Mars.
[8]
The first is that the helicopter must fly during the day, even though the increased air density of the Martian night would make flying easier. Its camera, however, is designed to observe the ground during daylight. Secondly, power is a consideration; the helicopter needs to maintain voltage and as such cannot fly until it has had time to warm up from the Martian night and recharge its batteries. Therefore the flight will take place during the middle of the day and afternoon on Mars.
Finally, there is the challenge of winds. While the team has tested on Earth, "the biggest risk is at takeoff and landing, when an untimely gust could present challenges," [9]according to Bob Balaram , chief engineer for the Mars Helicopter Project.
Ingenuity is very much a technical demonstrator but if it does work as engineers hope, the 1.8kg drone could eventually manage a 90-second flight over the surface. Its range is 300 metres and engineers reckon it could fly as high as five metres.
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The [11]next step will be reaching the approximately 2,400rpm flight speed of the blades before the first flight is attempted. Should all go to plan, Ingenuity will rise to to around a metre from the ground, [12]where it will hover for between 20 to 30 seconds. ®
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[1] https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1380323697047707650
[2] https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-invites-public-to-take-flight-with-ingenuity-mars-helicopter
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YHDOeihWoyiOw3G2t8tbtwAAAA8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarsHelicopter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5] https://t.co/TNCdXWcKWE
[6] https://t.co/EpDZymjP13
[7] https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1380404668069650437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YHDOeihWoyiOw3G2t8tbtwAAAA8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/status/289/when-should-ingenuity-fly/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YHDOeihWoyiOw3G2t8tbtwAAAA8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1380411441551839234
[12] https://mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter/#Overview
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
What's to stop...
...the wind blowing it over and stopping it from flying, before it's first flight?
As it sems to have been an oversight not to fit a "ring" around the rotor blades so if it does get blown over, the current design won't allow it to get back up again, as the blades won't be able to turn.
If that happens, then maybe Percy can go back to Ingenuity and pick it up or give it a nudge so it is standing vertical again?
And I really don't know why it will have taken until next Monday to fly...the rover landed on 18th February...so very nearly 2 months will have elapsed....yes, they need to do a system checkout, but they really need to pull their finger out...
Re: What's to stop...
the current design won't allow it to get back up again
But then again, I guess Perseverance is there to pick it up if needs be (assuming it doesn't get blown away).
Re: What's to stop...
The wind force on mars is tiny. It is has only 1% of the pressure that we experience so it would be like being blown over by a enraged butterfly
Re: What's to stop...
Yes, but it is a butterfly. It's a test and the design of it to be a stowaway rather than a passenger was the whole point - it's much like the first radio controlled helicopters you could buy from Maplins 15 years ago.
The next one will be a proper drone after results and data gets returned on the Martian atmospheric conditions and gravity.
Re: What's to stop...
The force of a storm is not in the local air pressure but in the wind speed times the mass of whatever it has picked up on the way. A kilogram of dust travelling at 100 Km/h will do as much damage on Mars as it will on Earth. Not all the erosion on Mars happened before it lost most of its atmosphere.
Re: What's to stop... Misconceptions
A ring - If you've read the coverage, you'd know that Ingenuity was carried to Mars on it's side, with its rotors folded, and protected by a metal shield. None of these would allow for a ring around the rotors.
Blown over - The pressure that Martian wind can exert on Ingenuity won't knock it over. However, flying in a wind might be problematic (they don't really know). Hence the significance of the first weather report.
Time - As slow as it seems (especially in lockdown), you don't get Martian do-overs.Steps are done in order and the results of each step are analyzed before the next step is taken.
A pint to the boffins who designed it and who operate it. Good luck.
"yes, they need to do a system checkout, but they really need to pull their finger out..." Not like there'd be any pressure from the scientists waiting to get going with the rover, eh?
Beer because the pubs are (semi-)opening that day.
Gatwick
Should Gatwick Airport and Sussex Police be given advanced notification of the flight of the drone - just in case they misunderstand the reports of the drone flight and close down the airfield
5m ceiling
I was a bit disappointed that it is expected only to fly as high as 5m above the Martian surface, as I was hoping it would fly over Perseverance and take a pic of it. At a maximum altitude of 4m above the lander, NASA is unlikely to allow that as dust and any malfunction could write them both off in one accident.
Still, really looking forward to the first flight and the pictures from an airborne vehicle on another planet.
Love it
This will be amazing if it works imagine being able to fly over Mars
Wow
Fingers crossed
It will be another massive achievement if they pull it off.