NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter mission ends after 72 flights
Image Credit: newsbytes
NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has officially been grounded after completing an impressive 72 flights over three years. Ingenuity is the first robot helicopter to achieve powered, controlled flight on a celestial body beyond Earth. The decision to end the mission came after images from its final flight on January 18 revealed a broken rotor blade, making it inoperable. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced the end of Ingenuity's mission, which exceeded expectations lasting 33 times longer than originally planned.