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 23, 2014
Fleet of planetary probes is paving the way for humans to Mars, and pushing deeper
Jun 23, 2014
Spacecraft to transport humans to Mars take shape amid uncertainty over their route
Jun 23, 2014
Computer-code model is shaping human-spaceflight developments
Jun 20, 2014
How likely is human flight to Mars? In this week's Check 6 podcast, longtime space editors Jim Asker and Frank Morring discuss this week's cover package.
Jun 19, 2014
Darpa-backed membrane optics may deliver deep-space video
Jun 18, 2014
How much cost data is needed for commercial space contracts?
Jun 16, 2014
With Skybox, Google extends its aerospace reach and imaging capabilities