NASA will send a Helicopter to Mars in 2020

The helicopter will be part of the 2020 rover mission and if all goes well will be the first heavier-than-air craft to fly on another world , the 2020 helicopter is just a test but if successful will offer a new way to explore the red planet.

"Exploring the Red Planet with NASA's Mars Helicopter exemplifies a successful marriage of science and technology innovation and is a unique opportunity to advance Mars exploration for the future," said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency headquarters in Washington. "After the Wright Brothers proved 117 years ago that powered, sustained, and controlled flight was possible here on Earth, another group of American pioneers may prove the same can be done on another world."

The full 30-day flight test campaign will include up to five flights of incrementally farther flight distances, up to a few hundred meters, and longer durations as long as 90 seconds, over a period. On its first flight, the helicopter will make a short vertical climb to 10 feet (3 meters), where it will hover for about 30 seconds.
As a technology demonstration, the Mars Helicopter is considered a high-risk, high-reward project. If it does not work, the Mars 2020 mission will not be impacted. If it does work, helicopters may have a real future as low-flying scouts and aerial vehicles to access locations not reachable by ground travel
www.jpl.nasa.gov...

2020 is shaping up to be an exciting year.

a reply to: gortex

Sounds great !

I'll admit not watching the vid as I'm on mobile.

My question would be; is there enough atmosphere to create "lift" ?

😎

a reply to: Timely

Since it's NASA doing this, I I think of there wasn't enough atmosphere, they wouldn't even be attempting this

a reply to: Timely

I'm more worried about the engine and it's rpm to be honest.

Plus the atmosphere of Mars is a little more dynamic than Earth's isn't it?

a reply to: Macenroe82

2 millibars (if summer, 1 millibar if not) does not seem like it is going to give the chopper in the video much lift. Unless it is spinning at about 100,000 RPM. There is a conspiracy that the atmosphere is much higher than NASA admits though. Hope it works, would be very cool.

I'm sorry, you people actually buy this hogwash? nasa lost everything needed to get back to the MOON but can conveniently run over to MARS any time they like.

Sheesh.

a reply to: scottobereal

What are you on about?

You're misinformed, NASA has went back to the Moon just not with humans... You're not under the impression that a pilot will be sitting in this chopper are you?

Because you'd be misinformed again.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

man....1 milibar...ouch i figured 300 milibars...wow...6 times thinner...idk

here we have 800 milibars way up...8000 MSL

Stick To The Topic

This is not a thread about whether NASA (or any other space agency) has been to Mars or not.

If you desire to discuss that, create a thread specifically for that.

Stick to the actual topic of the OP.

Keep discussion civil and with proper decorum.

Do not reply to this post.

The thinner atmosphere will have an effect, but the 1/3 earths gravity will compensate a great deal.

Nice to see NASA moving into complex aerial and land based rovers/landers
NASA probably has access to atmosphere chambers where the atmosphere of MARS can be mimicked for aerial applications studies.

originally posted by: Macenroe82
a reply to: Timely

Since it's NASA doing this, I I think of there wasn't enough atmosphere, they wouldn't even be attempting this

they are stupid or that rotor spins really fast.

originally posted by: Grimpachi
The thinner atmosphere will have an effect, but the 1/3 earths gravity will compensate a great deal.

Try a heli in space.


We can hit light speed, right?

a reply to: gortex

I'm for ANYTHING that moves faster than that snail named Curiosity!

I believe they said it was rotating about 10 times at fast as a helicopter on earth, while the thing weighs 4 pounds. An article was talking about how the atmosphere on mars is as thin as ours is at 100,000 feet and how the highest a helicopter on earth has been was 40,000 feet. I imagine that they tested this thing out by either creating some room that simulated the atmosphere at 100,000 feet.... or tossed it out of something already up that high. Its electric so atleast they dont have to worry about the oxygen for fuel.

originally posted by: Timely
a reply to: gortex

Sounds great !

I'll admit not watching the vid as I'm on mobile.

My question would be; is there enough atmosphere to create "lift" ?

😎

Moot question.

Space-Muricans are going to shoot it down with their space muskets after drinking their Space Pabst Blue Ribbon.



Pretty cool though.We'll actually be able to get the dirt on Mars from multiple angles. Maybe we'll find more Mars faces or pyramids or something.

a reply to: burgerbuddy

I starred you for your cynicism but we can't deny that the results will at least be interesting?

I doubt that. I think we already found them all. I think the "Mars Face" still holds credibility along with the monolith on Phobos. The pyramids I'm not so sure about but there is definitely evidence that Mars was once a life giving planet.

Just look at the canyons. Water did that. Water = Life.