Since landing on Mars in February last year, the Ingenuity helicopter, which was attached to the Perseverance rover, has exceeded expectations. NASA’s first helicopter successfully collected 11 samples of the Red Planet’s surface. Now, the US space agency is planning to send two more helicopters as part of its Mars sample return program.
The reason behind sending these helicopters to Mars is to bring the rocks and dust of Mars back to Earth. As per the details shared by NASAThe design of the helicopters will be based on its first breakthrough Ingenuity helicopters.
NASA is conducting this Mars mission in collaboration with the European Space Agency. NASA shared that both helicopters will have the ability to capture and transport small tubes filled with pieces of Martian rock, just like an extraterrestrial drone.
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter has already completed 29 flights to Mars and has lived beyond its lifetime for more than a year; Collecting rocks and dust from the surface of the planet. Mars rocks will be used for investigations by scientists using state-of-the-art laboratory equipment on Earth that may not fit in spacecraft.
NASA shared a brief description of the plan detailing how the Persistence rover will be used to transfer the rocks to a spacecraft for the return journey. “We’re bringing a piece of Mars back to Earth,” NASA said.
The Persistence rover is currently rolling through Jezero Crater, and picking up samples from the Red Planet that will be picked up in a Mars Ascent Vehicle and ride back home in the European Space Agency’s Earth Return Orbiter, NASA shared.
“We believe we can count on persistence to bring back samples, and we’ve added helicopters as a backup instrument,” said Jeff Gremling, director of NASA’s Mars Sample Return Program.
According to the plan announced by NASA on July 27, 2022, NASA’s Perseverance rover will do double duty and carry samples for the rocket that will launch them from Mars a decade from now.
If this mission is successfully completed under the Mars Sample Return Program, Martian rocks will be the first scientific samples to be brought back from another planet.
The Earth Return Orbiter and Sample Retrieval Lander are scheduled to launch in 2027 and summer 2028, with samples expected to return to Earth in 2033.
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