While the helicopter remains upright and in communication with ground controllers, imagery of its Jan. 18 flight sent to Earth this week indicates one or more of its rotor blades sustained damage during landing and it is no longer capable of flight.

Aw.

Originally designed as a technology demonstration to perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, performed 72 flights, and flew more than 14 times farther than planned while logging more than two hours of total flight time.

Well, it certainly surpassed expectations. RIP Ingenuity, you did well.

It is unfortunate but Ingenuity is something to be celebrated. A bittersweet moment for NASA engineers and the community. It was an amazing accomplishment and a true example of the kinds of things we can accomplish. I mean, we flew a fucking drone on another planet! It’s mission was only 30 days and it lasted nearly 3 years! That’s just incredible! One day a future human will pick it up and place it in a museum for all to see with a label proudly stating “Ingenuity: The first aircraft to fly on another planet.”

Now NASA has passed the final trial of all RC helicopter enthusiasts. RIP Ingenuity. And here’s to many future Mars helicopters!

I can’t believe it is 3 years since the landing. I remember watching the hover crane and Ingenuity’s first flight. Rest easy Ingenuity o7

a very sad day for me

It’s currently sol 1043 on Mars, the helicopter was deployed on sol 43. 1000 sols on Mars

Both of the mission namesakes (Perseverance & Ingenuity) have very literally lived up to their reputations, and then some. Prodigious naming, that.

On to Titan! Yes, you heard right, we are going to see a quadcopter flying around on Titan!