NASA scientists discover cause for Mars helicopter crash

As the first aircraft to achieve powered flight on another planet, NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter met an unfortunate end during its 72nd flight on January 18 of this year. Following months of dedicated investigation into the accident, scientists have finally determined the cause of the failure.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, the first aircraft to fly on another planet, ended its remarkable journey after crash-landing on January 18, 2024. NASA engineers from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and AeroVironment identified the cause of the crash as an issue with the helicopter’s onboard navigation sensors, shared with the public on December 11 during an industry event.

As the Washington Post reported, these sensors failed to analyze sufficient surface detail from Mars' smooth terrain, leading to inaccurate positioning. As a result, the helicopter landed while moving horizontally at high speeds, which snapped all four of its rotors.

Ingenuity was originally intended for a brief 30-day mission involving five test flights after its deployment alongside the Perseverance rover in July 2020. It landed in Mars' Jezero Crater in February 2021. Defying expectations, the helicopter operated for nearly three years, completing 72 flights—over 30 times the originally planned distance. Its unexpected longevity and performance marked a major milestone in extraterrestrial exploration.

During its final flight, Ingenuity ascended to a height of 40 feet, hovered to capture images, and began descending at 19 seconds into the flight. By the 32-second mark, the helicopter crashed into the Martian surface. The smooth terrain provided insufficient texture for the navigation system to calculate its position accurately, a critical factor that led to the mishap. Investigators reconstructed the event using data transmitted back to Earth and satellite imagery of the crash site.

"When running an accident investigation from 100 million miles away, you don't have any black boxes or eyewitnesses," Håvard Grip, a Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer and Ingenuity's first pilot, said in a statement.

Ingenuity’s design broke new ground by using affordable, commercial off-the-shelf cellphone processors in place of the more traditional, radiation-hardened technology required for space missions. According to Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity’s project manager, this innovative approach demonstrated the potential of lighter, less expensive components for enduring harsh extraterrestrial environments. Over nearly four years, Ingenuity consistently provided valuable insights, proving that not all space exploration tools need to be larger, heavier, or more complex to succeed.

Even after its crash, Ingenuity continues to transmit weather and avionics test data via the Perseverance rover. This ongoing stream of information is expected to aid in the development of future aircraft for Mars exploration.

Looking ahead, NASA has announced plans for a larger and more advanced "Mars Chopper" aircraft. This new design will weigh 20 times more than Ingenuity and have the capability to travel up to two miles per day, expanding the scope of Mars aerial exploration. The success and lessons learned from Ingenuity’s historic flights will play a crucial role in shaping this next generation of Mars aircraft.

Ingenuity’s achievements have far exceeded expectations, solidifying its place in space exploration history. Its resilience and groundbreaking design offer valuable insights for future missions, ensuring its legacy continues to inspire innovation in the quest to explore other worlds.

By Nazrin Sadigova