Ingenuity 72 Pathbreaking Flights (Poster)

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made history on August 19, 2021, when it completed the first powered, controlled flight on another planet, a feat that's been called a "Wright Brothers moment."

Originally designed as a technology demonstration to perform no more than five test flights over 30 days, Ingenuity quickly proved it was capable of even more than NASA imagined. Its flights became longer, higher, faster, and more adventurous. Ingenuity later took on another assignment as an operations demonstration to serve as an aerial scout to preview possible areas for the Perseverance rover to explore.

Over the course of its mission life, the helicopter completed 128.8 flying minutes, covering 10.5 miles (17.0 kilometers), and reaching altitudes as high as 78.7 feet (24.0 meters).

Ingenuity flew for the last time on January 18, 2024, and completed its mission on January 25, 2024, after nearly three years of aerial exploration and 72 historic flights.

Ingenuity’s triumph has paved the way for next-generation aerial vehicles to explore Mars and potentially, other space destinations.