NASA's early renderings of the Mars Chopper concept depict a six-rotor craft, potentially the size of an SUV, able to carry 11-pound payloads across 1.9 miles.
Ingenuity, which completed 72 flights, laid the groundwork for Mars Chopper by demonstrating powered flight on Mars, showing it’s possible to explore beyond rover reach.
NASA describes the Chopper's mission as crucial for studying vast Martian terrains quickly, revealing areas inaccessible to rovers and advancing planetary science.
Following a crash on its final flight, NASA is investigating the navigation issues of Ingenuity, emphasizing the importance of precise systems in future aerial missions.
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