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Ingenuity Mars Helicopter

NASA's solar-powered Ingenuity technology-demonstration helicopter was the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another world. Its four carbon-fiber blades formed two counter-rotating 1.2-meter rotors, and its autonomous flights were powered by a solar array charging lithium-ion batteries. Originally designed for up to five flights over 30 days, it completed 72 flights, covered 17.0 kilometers, and accumulated 128.8 minutes before rotor-blade damage during its final flight on Jan. 18, 2024, ended flight operations.

Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA/JPL-Caltech asset; the exact NASA Science record https://science.nasa.gov/resource/nasas-ingenuity-mars-helicopter/ identifies this byte-matched 8256×5504 photograph as the flight model of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter and credits NASA/JPL-Caltech. NASA’s current Images and Media Usage Guidelines generally allow factual or informational use of NASA content without explicit permission when it does not imply endorsement and NASA is acknowledged. NASA insignia, logotypes, identifiers, any third-party material, identifiable people, commercial, promotional, or merchandise uses, and other protected rights may require separate clearance; verify before such use. · Source
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Identity

Aliases
Mars HelicopterGinny
Family Name
Ingenuity
Full Name
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
Roles
researchexperimentaltechnology_demonstrator
Status
retired
Type
aircraft

Details

Aircraft Specs
Configuration
rotorcraft
Operating Modes
land
Takeoff Landing Capabilities
vtol
Description
NASA's solar-powered Ingenuity technology-demonstration helicopter was the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another world. Its four carbon-fiber blades formed two counter-rotating 1.2-meter rotors, and its autonomous flights were powered by a solar array charging lithium-ion batteries. Originally designed for up to five flights over 30 days, it completed 72 flights, covered 17.0 kilometers, and accumulated 128.8 minutes before rotor-blade damage during its final flight on Jan. 18, 2024, ended flight operations.
Dimensions
Height
…
Rotor Diameter
…
First Flight Year
2,021
Last Flight Year
2,024
Operator
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      airframe
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      airframe
      Variant Notes
      Integrated dual-motor rotor drive for the Mars helicopter; the six blade-pitch-control motors are separate flight-control actuators.
    Name
    Ingenuity dual electric rotor-drive installation
    Notes
    NASA documents two main propulsion motors spinning Ingenuity's two counter-rotating rotors. Six additional motors control blade pitch and are not counted as propulsion motors in this integrated-system entry; exact motor models, ratings, and gearing are not identified.
Spacecraft Specs
Reusability
unknown

Links

Official Url
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/ingenuity-mars-helicopter/

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 16, 2026 at 22:58:22 UTC
Updated Time
September 7, 2026 at 22:21:28 UTC
Image
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