NASA engineers have been working on the Martian helicopter project for the past four years, but the possibility of sending it all this time has been questioned. Now the leaders approved the expedition and included it in the part of the Mars 2020 program.
According to the idea of the creators, the helicopter will be attached to the bottom of the rover, and when they both arrive at their destination, the rover will leave it on the ground so that it can independently climb. Engineers are not sure that the device will fly at all. The fact is that the atmospheric pressure of Mars is only one percent of the Earth’s. Mission Manager Mimi Aung explains:
“The height record for an earth helicopter is 12 kilometers. The atmosphere of Mars is one percent of the earth: when our helicopter lands on the surface, it will already be in conditions comparable to the height of 30 kilometers on Earth. ”
That’s why the design of the helicopter is very small and light. On our planet, it weighs only 1.8 kilograms. The size of the device is comparable to the ball for softball (30.5 centimeters). Its blades will rotate ten times faster than any terrestrial helicopter.
If the mission is successful, then the apparatus within five days will make five flights. The duration of each will not exceed 90 seconds. During the first take-off, it will rise three meters above the rover and will be in this position for 30 seconds. During the following missions, the helicopter for the first time in history will photograph the dunes of the Red Planet from a bird’s eye view.
NASA has already started assembling the rover. It is expected that the launch will take place in July 2020, and the landing in February 2021.
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