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
Jun 06, 2018
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Jun 04, 2018
Airline aims suborbital; behavior-detecting drones; Airbus reinforces urban air; Siemens electrifies aviation; Echodyne tracks drones.
Jun 04, 2018
The growing size and complexity of government networks require planners to tap capabilities offered by commercial platforms.
Jun 03, 2018
Leaders of the UAE Space Agency showcased the positive impact of partnerships and the strategic importance of developing the UAE space industry at the 2nd International Space Exploration Forum (ISEF2) held in Tokyo, Japan.
May 25, 2018
Britain is looking to step up its role as an international space power not only commercially, but militarily too.
May 24, 2018
Lockheed AEHF satellite test; Indonesia wants eight more Apaches; India tests BrahMos life extension; Northrop upgrades Japan’s missile warning infrastructure.
May 23, 2018
As NASA prepares for start of commercial spaceflight, ‘load and go’ is among operational alternatives it will assess as a system.
May 22, 2018
Software testbeds developed by Ball Aerospace and BAE Systems are evaluating a new app-based approach to situational awareness and command and control in space.