Ingenuity- Mars 2020 Helicopter, Deployment & Operations Options

[MarkL]

[quote name='neo56' date='Mar 30 2021, 08:45 PM' post='251285']
Animation of Ingenuity deployment from sols 35 to 38.



Thank you! I would imagine they have taken video of each phase of the deployment which would be show smooth rotation of the various components. Is this just wishful thinking? The cameras can shoot at 10 fps and it would makes sense to have such a video.
Mark

[mcaplinger]

The cameras can shoot at 10 fps and it would makes sense to have such a video.

WATSON can only run at 1/4 the video rate of MCZ (like MAHLI on MSL.)

From "Curiosity’s Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) Investigation" https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-012-9910-4 -- "For a 720p format video, the maximum rate is ∼1.9 frames per second."

[djellison]

I would imagine they have taken video of each phase of the deployment which would be show smooth rotation of the various components.

There are pyrotechnic devices being fired during these steps. You don't want science cameras pointed at pyro devices when they're going off.

[mcaplinger]

There are pyrotechnic devices being fired during these steps.

Good point. I thought this was all non-pyrotechnic, but based on https://www.compositesworld.com/news/nasa-i...or-first-flight you're correct, there was a pyro involved.

[stevesliva]

One begins to expect Ingenuity to deploy something below itself as well...

[djellison]

pyro involved.

Looking at the CAD file posted to https://rps.nasa.gov/3D-viewer/ it looks like there's definitely some involved in the chopper - shield deploy for sure, and at least some others around the interface to the rover.

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[neo56]

Animation updated with sol 39 mosaic:

[fredk]

One begins to expect Ingenuity to deploy something below itself as well...

Maybe it's turtles all the way down...

[Marz]

April 11th is the expected first flight attempt, with data on April 12th:

https://www.space.com/ingenuity-mars-helico...elayed-april-11

[PaulH51]

New Helicopter blog entry link (dated April 02, 2021)
Written by Bob Balaram, Chief Engineer for the Mars Helicopter Project at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Within a few days, Ingenuity will be on the surface of Mars. Until now it has been connected to the Perseverance rover, which allowed Ingenuity to charge its battery as well as use a thermostat-controlled heater powered by the rover. This heater keeps the interior at about 45 degrees F through the bitter cold of the Martian night, where temperatures can drop to as low as -130F. That comfortably protects key components such as the battery and some of the sensitive electronics from harm at very cold temperatures.
Before Ingenuity drops the last few inches onto its airfield, Perseverance will charge up the little helicopter's battery to a 100 percent state-of-charge. That's a good thing, because Ingenuity has to run its own heater from its own battery after the drop. No more free power from the rover!
But there is another free source of energy on Mars: the Sun! The Sun's energy is weaker at Mars-a little over half of what we would find here on Earth on a bright, sunny day. But it's enough for Ingenuity's high-tech solar panel to charge the battery. Of course, this means that the rover will drive away from Ingenuity after the drop so that we uncover the solar panel. This will occur as soon as possible after the drop.
Ingenuity can't afford to keep the temperature of its interior at a "balmy" 45F -that takes too much precious energy from the battery. Instead, when it wakes up on the surface after being dropped, it sets its thermostat to about 5F or lower. Then it's off to survive the first night on its own!
The Ingenuity team will be anxiously waiting to hear from the helicopter the next day. Did it make it through the night? Is the solar panel working as expected? The team will check the temperatures and the battery recharge performance over the next couple of days. If it all looks good, then it's onto the next steps: unlocking the rotor blades, and testing out all the motors and sensors.

[Marvin]

Looking at the CAD file posted to https://rps.nasa.gov/3D-viewer/ it looks like there's definitely some involved in the chopper - shield deploy for sure, and at least some others around the interface to the rover.

That's a great 3D viewer. I tried to find out more about this using public domain sources.

If you look at this image from Lockheed Martin Space, I think I see three pyrotechnic valves associated with the helicopter deployment:



From what I can ascertain from open sources they were used to:
1. Release the helicopter shield
2. Release a locking mechanism holding the helicopter to the rover
3. Release the arm to begin rotating the helicopter to the upright position

The final attachment of the helicopter to the rover seems to me to be a non-explosive spring loaded release mechanism activated by a current. That's the cylinder with a "Z" on it. This is the last electrical connection between the rover and helicopter.

These are my best guesses, most of the detailed engineering specs are behind paywalls.

Here is the original source to the Lockheed Martin image:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedmarti...in/photostream/

[Art Martin]

Just saw this on Twitter:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EyF2yf7WUAMSUdR...amp;name=medium

[nprev]

Upright & on the regolith.

[Explorer1]

And lapping up the sun's rays too! Terrific accomplishment, those last few cm.....

[Phil Stooke]

The two Hazcam images projected to help locate the new position for the map.
Phil