NASA's Mars Helicopter Ingenuity Grounded After Historic 72 Flights

Damage to Rotor Blade Ends Mission, Paving Way for Future Aerial Exploration

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity has ended its mission after 72 flights over three years, far exceeding its initial plan of five short flights over 30 days.
The helicopter was grounded after a rotor blade was damaged during its 72nd and final flight, rendering it incapable of further operation.
Ingenuity was the first vehicle to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet, and its mission has paved the way for future aerial exploration on Mars and elsewhere in the solar system.
During its mission, Ingenuity flew over the Martian terrain 14 times farther than originally planned, logging more than two hours of flight time and covering a distance of 10.5 miles.
Although Ingenuity will no longer fly, NASA engineers will perform final tests on the helicopter's systems and download the remaining imagery and data from its onboard memory.