First Flight On Mars

On April 19, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter became the first aircraft to fly on another planet.

Our most recent package details the historic first flight of the 4-lb. robotic rotorcraft, which lasted 39.1 seconds, and its follow-up venture on April 22, and looks ahead to its future test program. The technology lays the groundwork for aerial exploration of Mars, an aeronautical feat given the air density of Mars is less than 1% of the density on Earth. See below for more.

“How do we use aerial mobility in the future on Mars, to help not just robotic exploration, but to help human exploration?”
Ellen Stofan
Smithsonian
Jan 07, 2022
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Jan 07, 2022
After a painful, prolonged development, NASA’s new space telescope is on its way.
Jan 06, 2022
Virgin Orbit’s disappointing stock debut marks the end of the beginning of the special purpose acquisition company phenomenon.
Jan 05, 2022
French space agency’s invitation to use Kourou spaceport may help European microlauncher projects meet hoped-for high demand.
Jan 03, 2022
A 13-year project pays off with Brazil’s first hypersonic-speed flight test.
Dec 29, 2021
OneWeb, the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, has confirmed its successful deployment of 36 satellites by Arianespace from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Dec 20, 2021
2021 saw milestones in private space transportation, commercial satellite launches, orbital infrastructure and planetary exploration.
Dec 17, 2021
Issues on a global scale face the aerospace and defense industry in 2022. Here are some events to watch for in the year ahead.