CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter’s flight on Mars was successful, making it the first powered, controlled flight on another planet.
“Ingenuity has performed its first flight -- the first flight of a powered aircraft on another planet,” NASA tweeted.
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Ingenuity flight In this image from NASA, NASA's experimental Mars helicopter Ingenuity hovers above the surface of Mars Monday, April 19, 2021. The little 4-pound helicopter rose from the dusty red surface into the thin Martian air Monday, achieving the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. (NASA via AP) (AP)
Ingenuity flight In this image from NASA, NASA's experimental Mars helicopter Ingenuity lands on the surface of Mars Monday, April 19, 2021. The little 4-pound helicopter rose from the dusty red surface into the thin Martian air Monday, achieving the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. (NASA via AP) (AP)
Ingenuity flight In this image from NASA, NASA's experimental Mars helicopter Ingenuity lands on the surface of Mars Monday, April 19, 2021. The little 4-pound helicopter rose from the dusty red surface into the thin Martian air Monday, achieving the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. (NASA via AP) (AP)
Ingenuity flight This March 21, 2021 photo made available by NASA shows the released debris shield, center, for the Ingenuity helicopter, dropped on the surface of Mars from the bottom of the Perseverance rover. On Tuesday, March 23, 2021, NASA announced that the helicopter's first Mars test flight will occur around April 8. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS via AP) (AP)
Ingenuity flight FILE - This Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021 file photo shows a full-scale model of the Ingenuity helicopter displayed for the media at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The 4-pound (1.8-kilogram) helicopter, named Ingenuity, will attempt to rise 10 feet (3 meters) into the extremely thin Martian air on its first hop. Five increasingly higher and longer flights are planned over the course of a month. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) (Damian Dovarganes/AP)
Ingenuity flight FILE - This illustration made available by NASA depicts the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars which was attached to the bottom of the Perseverance rover, background left. It will be the first aircraft to attempt controlled flight on another planet. (NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP) (AP)
Ingenuity flight This Tuesday, April 6, 2021 image made available by NASA shows the Perseverance Mars rover, foreground, and the Ingenuity helicopter about 13 feet (3.9 meters) behind. This composite image was made by the WASTON camera on the rover's robotic arm on the 46th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS via AP) (AP)
Ingenuity flight In this Wednesday, April 29, 2020 still image from video, Vaneeza Rupani speaks from her home in Northport, Ala. Rupani, a high school, student had her entry chosen to name NASA's first Mars helicopter. Ingenuity, the name submitted by Rupani, was selected for the 4 pound (1.8 kilograms) solar-powered helicopter that is expected to be launched in Mars later this summer. (AP Photo/Cody Jackson) (Cody Jackson/AP)
NASA pushed the flight back because of a timer issue that prevented the helicopter from transitioning into flight mode and performing a high-speed spin test.
The Ingenuity helicopter launched from Florida Space Coast last year as a part of the Mars 2020 mission.
"Ingenuity has performed its first flight — the first flight of a powered aircraft on another planet!"
The rover is standing by as its tiny counterpart took to the Marian skies.
Monday’s flight was the first controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet.
The little rotorcraft that could.🚁💨
Ingenuity documented its historic ascent today. Here's the #MarsHelicopter's POV during first flight. That's its shadow on the ground below. pic.twitter.com/wXgLyTDbjm
