Chopper on Mars

Here’s one for Pete
Retro helicopters
User avatar
Wayne_H
Posts: 809
Joined: 17 Feb 2018, 05:26
Location: Temora, NSW. Australia
Contact:

Chopper on Mars

Post by Wayne_H »

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/
Cheers,

Wayne
Once a Retrobate, always a Retrobate............ ;)
MaxZ
Posts: 330
Joined: 31 Jan 2019, 11:48
Location: Boskoop, Netherlands

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by MaxZ »

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.. ;) :D

Max.
Spike S
Posts: 181
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 14:59
Location: Salisbury UK

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by Spike S »

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)
Stew
Posts: 495
Joined: 02 Mar 2018, 10:21
Location: Staindrop, Darlington.

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by Stew »

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.
Martin
Posts: 744
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 14:11
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by Martin »

They still call it 'spaceflight' even when it's in a vacuum. There really ought to be a different word for non-aerodynamic flight.
User avatar
Shaun
Posts: 1049
Joined: 15 Feb 2018, 21:49
Location: West Yorkshire

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by Shaun »

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 😄😄
User avatar
Mike_K
Posts: 669
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 06:35
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by Mike_K »

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.
MaxZ
Posts: 330
Joined: 31 Jan 2019, 11:48
Location: Boskoop, Netherlands

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by MaxZ »

Mike_K wrote: 23 Apr 2021, 17:50 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.
No doubt about that, Mike. I never meant to demote that achievement, just to start a little word play.. :)
User avatar
ozrs
Posts: 114
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 15:21
Location: West Australia

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by ozrs »

Attached:
Attachments
Mars.JPG
Richard
Pchristy
Posts: 413
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 13:57
Location: South Devon, UK

Re: Chopper on Mars

Post by Pchristy »

:lol: :lol: :lol:

--
Pete
Post Reply