After a brief period of concern, NASA announced on Saturday night that it successfully reestablished contact with the Ingenuity helicopter.
The autonomous aircraft unexpectedly lost communication with the Perseverance rover, responsible for relaying transmissions between Ingenuity and Earth, during its 72nd flight on Mars.
Prior to this incident, Ingenuity had exhibited anomalies, cutting short its previous flight without a known cause.
NASA had planned a systems check during the latest ascent. The space agency, in an update posted on X, stated that it is currently reviewing data from Ingenuity to comprehend the situation.
By instructing Perseverance to conduct “long-duration listening sessions,” the team managed to pick up Ingenuity’s signal, Engadget reported.
While Ingenuity has experienced blackouts before, including last year, it remains uncertain whether it will return to flight this time.
The mini helicopter has already surpassed the original timeline of its mission.
Written by B.C. Begley
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B.C. Begley 