Mars helicopter Ingenuity re-establishes contact after going silent for two months

NASA on Friday announced that Mars helicopter Ingenuity has been found by its handlers on June 28 via its robotic partner, the Perseverance rover, after two months of silent stretch. This communication was the first in months, since April 26, when the 1.8 kilograms chopper went dark toward the end of its 52nd flight on the floor of Mars' Jezero Crater. 

Taking to Twitter, NASA JPL wrote, " Are you there, Earth? It’s the #MarsHelicopter. 👋 Ingenuity has reestablished contact with 
@NASAPersevere following two months of radio silence."  

Are you there, Earth? It’s the #MarsHelicopter. 👋

Ingenuity has reestablished contact with @NASAPersevere following two months of radio silence.

🔗 https://t.co/eQylNmtaaW pic.twitter.com/zcdeiuyBwQ

— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) June 30, 2023

Mars helicopter: 'Are you there, Earth?'

According to the update, NASA has suggested that Ingenuity has been in good health. If further checkouts confirm that Ingenuity is in good shape, the chopper would be flying again within the next few weeks, said team members. Ingenuity has completed 363 meters of ground on the 139-second-long Flight 52. The main goals of the sortie were to reposition the chopper and take photos for Perseverance's science team, said one of the NASA officials. 

"The portion of Jezero Crater the rover and helicopter are currently exploring has a lot of rugged terrain, which makes communications dropouts more likely," said Ingenuity team lead Josh Anderson, in a statement released by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, on June 30. Further, he added, "The team’s goal is to keep Ingenuity ahead of Perseverance, which occasionally involves temporarily pushing beyond communication limits." 

"We're excited to be back in communications range with Ingenuity and receive confirmation of Flight 52," said Anderson while talking about the Mars helicopter which was silent for almost two months.  

What is the Ingenuity Mars helicopter?

• The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was built by JPL, which also manages the project for NASA Headquarters.
• NASA’s Science Mission Directorate supports it. 
• NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, provided significant flight performance analysis and technical assistance during Ingenuity’s development. 
• AeroVironment Inc., Qualcomm, and SolAero also provided design assistance and major vehicle components.
• Lockheed Space designed and manufactured the Mars Helicopter Delivery System.