Some weird debris fell off the Mars helicopter Ingenuity

The Mars helicopter Ingenuity has made it through a difficult winter and is back to flying, recently completing its 33rd flight since it landed on Mars along with the Perseverance rover in February 2021. The helicopter has been making gradually further flights since it came back into operations following a break from June to August, completing flight 31 on September 6, followed by flight 32 on September 17 and flight 33 on September 24. For flight 33 the helicopter covered over 111 meters in just under a minute, with the helicopter heading toward the Jezero river delta to rejoin the Perseverance rover.

Over the weekend, #MarsHelicopter successfully completed Flight 33!

The rotorcraft reached an altitude of 10 meters (33 ft) and traveled 111.24 meters (365 ft) in 55.2 seconds. If you look closely at this image, you’ll see Ingenuity’s leg and tiny shadow. pic.twitter.com/4UwPs1bAcV — NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) September 27, 2022

There was an unexpected passenger along for part of this flight though, as a piece of unknown debris got itself caught around the helicopter’s leg.

The foreign object debris (FOD) doesn’t seem to be from the helicopter, so it’s currently a mystery what it is made of and what its source could be. The image below was taken by the helicopter’s navigation camera, called Navcam. You can just about see each of the helicopter’s top legs in the very corner of the image, which are two of the four legs that the helicopter sits on when it is on the ground.

Attached to the leg on the right is a small piece of debris, which looks almost like it could be plastic, although NASA says it is not sure what the debris is or where it came from.

A small piece of foreign object debris (FOD) is seen in footage from the navigation camera of NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter during its 33rd flight on Mars on Sept 24, 2022. The FOD is seen attached to one of the rotorcraft's landing legs, then drifting away.A small piece of foreign object debris (FOD) is seen in footage from the navigation camera of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter during its 33rd flight on Mars on Sept 24, 2022. The FOD is seen attached to one of the rotorcraft’s landing legs, then drifting away. NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA confirmed that this piece of debris hadn’t been visible during the helicopter’s previous flight, Flight 32, so it seems to have been a recent addition.

Fortunately, the debris detached itself from the helicopter’s leg and floated away back to the surface during the flight.

You can see the full footage showing the debris falling on the NASA Ingenuity website.

“All telemetry from the flight and a post-flight search and transfer are nominal and show no indication of vehicle damage,” NASA wrote. “The Ingenuity and Perseverance Mars 2020 teams are working to discern the source of the debris.”

Editors’ Recommendations

Tags:

argus-car-hire listed on couponmatrix.ukpretty-green listed on couponmatrix.ukslurp listed on couponmatrix.uksweatband listed on couponmatrix.ukuk-flooring-direct listed on couponmatrix.ukvirgin-mobile listed on couponmatrix.uk
argus-car-hire listed on couponmatrix.ukArgus Car Hire make hiring vehicles in the UK, continental Europe and virtually any other major destination in the world an absolute doddle. By aggregating every hire business of any note onto one, easy-to-use website they can provide you with a car to suit your needs at the lowest price possible with a just a few clicks of your mouse. What's more, you can use the Argus Car Hire discount code to drive prices even lower, enjoying easy, low-cost motoring all over the world.
pretty-green listed on couponmatrix.ukLegendary frontman and Pretty Green founder Liam Gallagher is one of a handful of cultural icons genuinely keeping the spirit of rebellion alive - not just from behind the microphone, but with his retro-inspired clothing. Rock star looks don’t usually come cheap, but the Pretty Green discount code keep prices at a youthful enough level - all you need to do is develop a suitable swagger to do these beautifully-made clothes justice, and keep the Cool Britannia flag flying every time you go out.
slurp listed on couponmatrix.ukSometimes there’s nothing like a good glass to take the edge off a hard week, which is why we always recommend Slurp for those tempted by a tipple. Sourcing only the finest wines along with spirits, beers and fizz, you can enjoy savings on whatever drink gets you thirsty with a Slurp discount code from Groupon. It’s the small pleasures that make life worth living, so give yourself a break and enjoy a glass of the good stuff with Slurp.
sweatband listed on couponmatrix.ukWelcome to Sweatband, the fitness and sports superstore to drive your goals. Here, you’ll find everything from gym equipment to sportswear and clothing. Providing the highest quality cutting edge equipment, clothing and training aids and all for an affordable price, Sweatband can take your ambitions to the next level. With the Sweatband voucher code you can enjoy the highest quality sportswear for less. Whether you’re a keen tennis, rugby, or football player, love going running, hitting the gym or driving your fitness goals in a thousand ways, Sweatband is the superstore for you.
uk-flooring-direct listed on couponmatrix.ukWhether you want wood, laminate or vinyl in your home, you won’t find a better price or a sturdier board than with UK Flooring Direct. When you next want to forego the showroom, be sure to save on your next renovation with a UK Flooring Direct discount code from Groupon. With speedy deliveries, authentic designs, durable coating and unbeatable prices, you’re sure to stylize and save on your new home décor at UK Flooring Direct.
virgin-mobile listed on couponmatrix.ukWith twenty years of telecom experience and still going strong, Virgin Mobile has the coverage and experience you want from a trusted phone provider. Whether you want a flexible SIM-only deal or a monthly package on the latest Samsung Galaxy, a Virgin Mobile discount code is all you need to get the best price on your package of choice. With data rollover, 5G capacity and an unrivalled selection of phones, it’s clear to see why so many choose to go with Virgin.