About as far from "Retro" as you can get, but interesting non-the-less
On April 19th, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter completed a quick test flight on Mars, making it the first powered aircraft to fly on another planet. Check it out @
https://www.reviewgeek.com/78554/nasas- ... t-on-mars/
Chopper on Mars
- Wayne_H
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Chopper on Mars
Cheers,
Wayne
Once a Retrobate, always a Retrobate............
Wayne
Once a Retrobate, always a Retrobate............
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Re: Chopper on Mars
How about the Lunar Module taking off from the Moon in 1969, doesn't that qualify as an "powered aircraft to fly on another planet"? Yes, I know, the Moon is not a planet (or is it?), but, well, it's a moon.....
Anyway, you have to carefully word these kind of claims..
Max.
Anyway, you have to carefully word these kind of claims..
Max.
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Re: Chopper on Mars
Doesn't "flight" imply generation of aerodynamic forces ? The lunar module's trajectory was that of a ballistic projectile.
Spike S
(Tune for maximum smoke)
(Tune for maximum smoke)
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Re: Chopper on Mars
Does an aircraft have to operate in air? I wonder where the limits of the definition are?
I think the X15 and it's brethren were technically aircraft, but were able to fly above what we would consider 'air' and used hypergolic fuel 'thrusters' to adjust attitude I believe.
I don't think I'd consider the lunar module an aircraft, but the rotorcraft on Mars certainly is, however thin the atmosphere.
I think the X15 and it's brethren were technically aircraft, but were able to fly above what we would consider 'air' and used hypergolic fuel 'thrusters' to adjust attitude I believe.
I don't think I'd consider the lunar module an aircraft, but the rotorcraft on Mars certainly is, however thin the atmosphere.
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Re: Chopper on Mars
They still call it 'spaceflight' even when it's in a vacuum. There really ought to be a different word for non-aerodynamic flight.
- Shaun
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Re: Chopper on Mars
The dictionary definition of flight is :-
An act of flying; a journey made through the air or in space.
So we don't have to change anything
An act of flying; a journey made through the air or in space.
So we don't have to change anything
- Mike_K
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Re: Chopper on Mars
And it isn't the first "non-rocket-powered" flight on a planet, the Russians flew balloons on Venus years ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vega_program
It's the first controlled take-off and then landing back on a planet (we can't count the Rosetta's Philae lander bouncing on Comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko). I hope they'd applied for their CAA drone operators licence first?! But as NASA is American, that should be their "Remote Pilot Certificate" from the FAA. In all seriousness, it's quite an achievement when you can't test fly the model on earth, as our atmosphere is too dense and our gravity too great, then take it 183 million miles for its test flight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vega_program
It's the first controlled take-off and then landing back on a planet (we can't count the Rosetta's Philae lander bouncing on Comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko). I hope they'd applied for their CAA drone operators licence first?! But as NASA is American, that should be their "Remote Pilot Certificate" from the FAA. In all seriousness, it's quite an achievement when you can't test fly the model on earth, as our atmosphere is too dense and our gravity too great, then take it 183 million miles for its test flight.
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Re: Chopper on Mars
No doubt about that, Mike. I never meant to demote that achievement, just to start a little word play..
- ozrs
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Re: Chopper on Mars
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Pete