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
Dec 18, 2014
See a selection of space entries from our annual Photo Contest.
Dec 17, 2014
The request for information lists several generic possibilities, including beaming power between orbiting spacecraft, from an orbiting spacecraft to a “planetary asset,” and between fixed and mobile assets on a planetary surface.
Dec 17, 2014
Iridium, Thales offer broadband connectivity to Bristow Helicopters, mitigating problems caused by interference from rotors.
Dec 16, 2014
Orbital Sciences Corp. will buy directly from Russia’s NPO Energomash a new rocket engine with a long heritage to replace the surplus Russian engines tentatively implicated in the Oct. 28 failure of an Antares launch vehicle with a load of cargo for the International Space Station.
Dec 16, 2014
Every Wednesday: the latest from Aviation Week & Space Technology
Dec 15, 2014
NASA’s New Horizons Pluto probe is awake and getting ready to fly past the Solar System’s icy outlier and its moons next summer
Dec 15, 2014
Delays in current launcher development are not deterring Chinese space industry managers from planning a Moon rocket. They aim to put a rover on Mars around 2020, too.
Dec 15, 2014
After years of debate, ESA approves plan for new family of Ariane 6 rockets to keep Europe competitive in launch market.