NASA has canceled the first helicopter flight to Mars scheduled for Sunday in a short announcement. Problems were reported during the testing of the rotors.
“The crew is really excited and looking forward to the first flight. We spent last year planning and training the last flight and understanding what was needed for the first flight,” said Tim Cunham, in charge of the project. “It takes about forty seconds from the moment the rotor blades return until we land. During this period, with the energy reserves the device holds, we feel safe for the first flight. Of course we want the first flight.”
In its first test flight, the “intelligent”, which weighs about 1.8 kilograms, is expected to rise to a height of about three meters and then land on the surface of Mars. This will be the first flight of an aircraft on another planet. Now the helicopter can theoretically try to take off for another month.
The helicopter must deal with extreme conditions. Mars will be cold at night up to minus 90 degrees Celsius, the planet’s gravitational pull will be low and the atmosphere will be very thin.
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