NASA’s amazing Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, stumbled upon something out of this world during its journey over the Red Planet.
Ingenuity has been on quite the adventure since it took off from Earth in July 2020.
Part of the Mars 2020 mission, the helicopter has completed an impressive 72 flights over Mars in the last four years, surpassing its original goal of just five flights.
Designed to scout areas of interest for NASA’s Perseverance rover, Ingenuity captured some eerie sights during one of its flights in 2022.
Photos sent back by the helicopter revealed mysterious wreckage on the Martian surface, with debris scattered about.
At first glance, it might seem like Ingenuity discovered evidence of aliens, but the truth is much closer to home.
The wreckage actually belonged to the landing equipment used when Ingenuity and the Perseverance rover arrived on Mars in 2021.
Ian Clark, an engineer who worked on Perseverance’s parachute system, described the photos as having a sci-fi vibe, but they offer valuable insights for future missions.
While the images show the mess we’ve made on Mars, they also provide valuable data for engineers planning future missions.
Clark noted that even if the photos don’t provide new engineering insights, they’re still remarkable and inspiring.
Ingenuity’s flights over Mars are helping to pave the way for future exploration, offering perspectives no previous mission could achieve..