Ingenuity- Mars 2020 Helicopter, Deployment & Operations Options

[MahFL]

Whoot !

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[neo56]

A bit of image processing on this first photo of Ingenuity on its own on the surface of Mars.

[Marvin]

Good drop! I read somewhere there was a contingency to try to use the robotic arm to right it, if it had toppled.

The helicopter was fully charged before the drop, but I think I'm already seeing the "sticky dust™" on the solar panel. I don't know if this will impact the helicopter mission in any way.

[Sean]

Survive The Night

[Explorer1]

Good drop! I read somewhere there was a contingency to try to use the robotic arm to right it, if it had toppled.

It was a question during a press conference (specifically if the arm could be used if there was a problem during landing); the answer was if tipped over, it would be so damaged as to not fly anymore. In any case, the robot arm has no manipulator for that purpose.

[John Moore]

Assuming all goes well for the eventual lift-off, I wonder will the manoeuvre generate a dust cloud around it so as to obscure camera-recording of it by Percy?

Whatever occurs, it's still a great achievement...congrats to the team.

John

[HSchirmer]

Assuming all goes well for the eventual lift-off, I wonder will the manoeuvre generate a dust cloud around it so as to obscure camera-recording of it by Percy?
Whatever occurs, it's still a great achievement...congrats to the team.
John

Agreed!
Does this mean we get Martian air density data that allows future rovers to include a "leaf blower" to blow the dust off, and a bunch of detailed belly spectrometers to identify what minerals they're driving over?

[Art Martin]

There's a number of images that I thought we'd see before the one of the rover fully backed away from Ingenuity. I would have thought they took images of steps such as the disconnect of the helicopter and its drop below the rover. Also possible images of the drive away from it. Perhaps they are still coming down and the importance was dropping it and moving quickly away to start the solar cells charging and ensuring it was all clear. I guess there was no possibility of video of the drop. Just once I'd like to see an object hitting the surface in the reduced gravity. I suppose we'll see that during the flights although it will be a power on landing.

[Art Martin]

Assuming all goes well for the eventual lift-off, I wonder will the manoeuvre generate a dust cloud around it so as to obscure camera-recording of it by Percy?

Whatever occurs, it's still a great achievement...congrats to the team.

John

I believe before the first flight there are a couple of motor tests where the rotors will turn but be below take off speeds. Those may kick up some dust and remove it prior to the actual flight.

[fredk]

Assuming all goes well for the eventual lift-off, I wonder will the manoeuvre generate a dust cloud around it so as to obscure camera-recording of it by Percy?

See this post for an answer to that.

[phase4]

here's an attempt to make an anaglyph of a L-R rear hazcam pair.
view with caution

[Sean]

Sol 44 Navcam Left

[nprev]

Yikes. Do I see dust on the arrays already...?

[Art Martin]

Yikes. Do I see dust on the arrays already...?

Not sure where dust would have come from to have got to the top of Ingenuity. The cover was still on during landing and early roving and the rover didn't go very far after removing it with the solar panel vertical during that time until unfolding and deployment. Sure a drop of a few inches didn't kick up a bunch of dust. I'm certain they drove the rover away slowly. We'd really need a zoomed in shot to confirm that is actually some dust coating and not just different coloration of the panels.

[nprev]

Agreed, of course. Definitely do not want to be right here.