NASA Ingenuity Helicopter achieves 13th successful flight on Mars

NASA's Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity, has completed its 13th successful flight on the Red Planet. The helicopter travelled at 7.3 mph (3.3 m/s) taking images pointing southwest of the South Seitah region of Mars, the U.S. agency said on Saturday.

Ingenuity is a technology demonstration to test powered, controlled flight on another world for the first time.

Happy Flight the 13th!🚁Ingenuity has achieved its 13th successful flight on Mars. It traveled at 7.3 mph (3.3 m/s) taking images pointing southwest of the South Seítah region. This aerial scouting continues to aid in planning @NASAPersevere's next moves. https://t.co/tboEcnLvx3 pic.twitter.com/QIp8QSVxbq

— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) September 5, 2021

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter arrived at the Red Planet on February 18, 2021, stowed aboard the Mars Preserverance Rover. The 19-inch-tall solar-powered helicopter was deployed to the surface of Jezero Crater on April 3, 2021, and became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet on April 19, 2021. During its first flight, Ingenuity climbed to about 10 feet (3 meters) above the ground, hovered in the air for 30 seconds, completed a turn, and then landed.

Thereafter, the Ingenuity helicopter has successfully performed a dozen experimental flights of incrementally farther distance and greater altitude.