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As the groundbreaking Ingenuity mission comes to an end after 72 flybys, Perseverance begins an exciting phase of Mars exploration focused on geological discoveries that could shed light
As the groundbreaking Ingenuity mission comes to an end after 72 flybys, Perseverance begins an exciting phase of Mars exploration focused on geological discoveries that could shed light on the planet’s ancient history. After 72 flights and a 17-kilometer journey, it was finally time to say goodbye to the Ingenuity helicopter. Last month, it was announced that Ingenuity’s mission ended after its propeller blade was damaged during its final flight.
Ingenuity’s long and highly successful journey began three years ago at the bottom of the Jezero crater and will end in the Neretva Valley, a canal that once brought water to the ancient lake. Ingenuity became the first vehicle to achieve controlled, powered flight on another planet, giving scientists access to landscapes no rover could reach.
The determination, which passed within about 450 meters of the helicopter this week, will likely be the closest it will be to our flying satellite for the remainder of our mission. We took this opportunity to obtain a long-distance image of Ingenuity with our Mastcam-Z device.
As Ingenuity’s mission comes to an end, Perseverance is approaching one of the most exciting parts of its mission. Perseverance continues to explore the Margin region at the edge of Crater Lake, where strong traces of carbonate minerals from orbit have been found.
Our team made the most of this last piece of land by taking SuperCam LIBS and VISIR observations of a rock called Porkchop Geyser (see image above) and a Mastcam-Z image of a pile of rubble called Muiron Island (see image below). As the traveler heads west, we carefully prepare for what awaits us.
In orbital images of the crater rim, we can see huge blocks called “megabreccias” that are thought to come from the impact that formed Crater Lake or are older rocks ejected from the massive Isis Basin to our east.
Although it is sad to leave Ingenuity behind, Perseverance’s future is bright and the science team’s morale is high. Before us lies a mysterious crater rim that could open a window into a period of Martian history that no rover has ever seen before.
Source: Port Altele
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