The Ingenuity helicopter on Mars seems to be struggling as it loses its sense of direction due to a failed instrument. What happens now?
One of the navigation sensors, the inclinometer, has stopped working. However, chief pilot Håvard Grip wrote reassurance on a blog post that although a faulty inclinometer is a big deal, it doesn't signal the end of its Mars mission.
(Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
A full scale model of the experimental Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which will be carried under the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, is displayed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on February 16, 2021 in Pasadena, California.
The Ingenuity helicopter isn't perfect, and due to this issue with the inclinometer, the team needs to impersonate it. The solution they came up with is a software patch to the code on the flight computer that intercepts bad data and replaces them with good data.
Basically, the flight controllers are tricking the navigation algorithms of Ingenuity into thinking that the data they have came from the inclinometer.
Also Read: NASA Wants To 'Set More Records' With The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
Not a First
This isn't the first time Ingenuity faced difficulties while on Mars. Early in May, the team lost contact with it for two days and they figured out that the helicopter's battery wasn't charging the way it should.
With winter coming in Mars, it could affect the chopper's operations, and it will need electricity to ensure its electronics remain ware during the cold months. The average temperature on Mars in winter can be as low as -125 celsius. And because of that, there have been discussions to keep the chopper asleep for a few months. However, it will only work when the team can keep the chopper warm during this time on Mars, which can be a huge challenge.
The Accumulation of Dust
Additionally, the panel of Ingenuity is now being coated with dust, and this affects the amount of electricity that is to be used to warm it up. This may be due to the recent discovery in the Jezero Crater that showed intense windstorms recorded by the Perseverance rover.
There are at least four whirlwinds a day, and sometimes more. The most powerful gusts can produce huge clouds of dust covering, which could be the reason the chopper and the rover are getting a lot of dust coatings. The build-up of dust on the chopper is also affecting its power levels.
A Test of Ingenuity
As mentioned, winter is coming on Mars, and this will mark a test of Ingenuity's ability to survive the cold. The good news is, that the controllers have a plan B should it freeze and shut down permanently as the team has already transferred its data and images.
Let's keep our fingers crossed that the Ingenuity powers thru to support Perseverance on the planet in the next year.
Related Article: NASA Ingenuity Helicopter: Will It Survive Mars' Winter Season? Dangers Coming
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Written by April Fowell
