# Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Achieves Milestone Ninth Flight
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Chapter 1: Ingenuity's Historic Ninth Flight
The Ingenuity helicopter was specifically designed to make groundbreaking achievements, and it has recently accomplished its ninth flight on Mars, marking its most remarkable feat to date. This time, Ingenuity soared higher, traveled faster, and covered more distance than ever before, and it’s eager for its next adventure.
On July 2, the Ingenuity team shared their plans for the ninth flight, which occurred on July 5. Although detailed information about the helicopter's operations is limited, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) considers this flight another significant success. Along with this achievement, we have a fresh image capturing the drone's shadow on the Martian surface, as Ingenuity is equipped only with downward-facing cameras due to its initial purpose as a technology demonstration.
According to a tweet released after the flight, Ingenuity remained airborne for 166.4 seconds, reaching a speed of 5 m/s. While this might not seem fast for a helicopter, it’s important to remember that this is a helicopter operating on a different planet. In contrast to rovers like Perseverance and Curiosity, which can only inch forward cautiously to avoid hazards, Ingenuity can swiftly navigate its environment.
The first video illustrates Ingenuity's final flight, detailing its rotor blade damage and the challenges faced during this remarkable journey.
NASA announced several weeks prior that it would extend Ingenuity’s technology demonstration mission, which was initially set for just one month. The new phase, referred to as “operations demonstration,” has allowed the helicopter to undertake one-way flights, covering greater distances and moving at increased speeds. During a previous flight, a computer error caused some instability and a brief loss of location tracking; however, the helicopter’s robust design ensured a safe landing.
In this recent flight, Ingenuity traversed a sandy region known as Séítah, presenting a unique challenge for the drone since its navigation systems were optimized for flat, rocky landscapes rather than shifting dunes. Thankfully, it did not encounter the same issues that plagued it previously.
Section 1.1: Ingenuity's Design and Limitations
Despite Ingenuity's remarkable accomplishments, its lifespan on Mars may be limited. NASA constructed the helicopter to be lightweight and efficient, utilizing commercially available components, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 smartphone processor. Unfortunately, these components are not built to withstand the harsh Martian environment. Consequently, it is unlikely that the solar-powered helicopter will endure the upcoming Martian winter. Nonetheless, it has already etched its name in history, and future iterations will undoubtedly achieve even greater feats.
The second video showcases the most extreme flights of NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter, highlighting its impressive capabilities and daring maneuvers.
Subsection 1.1.1: Future Prospects and Legacy
Now read: NASA Believes Organic Salts ‘Likely Present’ on Mars, NASA’s Mars Lander Cleaned Sand Off Its Solar Panels Using More Sand, Mars Helicopter Completes First One-Way Flight.