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
Feb 08, 2021
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Feb 05, 2021
New spacecraft aims to cache rocks, soils that may harbor life.
Feb 05, 2021
Company debuts dedicated ride-share service, undercutting pricing again.
Feb 03, 2021
Steppingstones approach to hunt for life on Mars nears the home stretch.
Feb 01, 2021
The Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar, ASECNA, the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd, NIGCOMSAT and Thales Alenia Space - a joint venture between Thales (67 %) and Leonardo (33 %) - have announced the completion of five flight demos at Lomé International Airport, set to accelerate SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System) development for aviation in Africa.
Jan 28, 2021
The nation needs to adopt a "commercial first" policy for space technology to bolster its international competitiveness.
Jan 22, 2021
Virgin Orbit successfully deployed 10 cubesats into a 310-km-high (193-mi.) polar orbit on Jan. 17, marking the first successful spaceflight of its…
Jan 22, 2021
Smallsat contracts firm up after Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne deploys first payloads in ‘picture-perfect’ demo polar orbit test mission.