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
Oct 05, 2017
SpaceX planning to scrap its successful Falcon rocket and Dragon capsule in high-stakes quest to expand humankind to Mars.
Oct 04, 2017
Airservices Australia is looking to Aireon’s space-based ADS-B as the next evolution in air-traffic control surveillance.
Oct 04, 2017
A manufacturing fault in a YF-77 engine caused China’s July 2 launch failure. No other Chinese rocket uses that engine type.
Oct 03, 2017
Tests demonstrate stable combustion and reliable start-up for the LE-9 main engine of Japan’s H3 space launcher.
Sep 29, 2017
International Space Station is serving as testbed for critical deep-space travel technologies, including life support, water recycling and trash management.
Sep 29, 2017
Lt. Gen. John Thompson is taking the reins at a critical moment for U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.
Sep 29, 2017
Beijing could add two or three modules to the planned three-node station if enough countries express interest.
Sep 29, 2017
International planning group envisions human missions to the Moon’s Aitkin Basin, supported by NASA’s Deep Space Gateway.