Exploring the Skies of Mars: The Journey of NASA's Helicopter
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Chapter 1: The Lesson of No Shortcuts
Mimi Aung, an electrical engineer at NASA, reflects on a pivotal lesson from her childhood that has guided her career. As a young girl grappling with a math problem, she turned to her mother, a PhD holder, for assistance. Frustrated by her mother's detailed explanation, she demanded a quick solution. Aung recalls her mother’s firm response: “Never, never ask me for a shortcut.” This principle resonates with Aung as she leads the development of the first autonomous drone intended for Mars.
When the Mars Helicopter reaches the Red Planet in 2021, it is expected to undertake five challenging flights, potentially capturing images in the process. NASA aims to demonstrate that this technology can be scaled up, paving the way for larger drones capable of gathering samples, conducting aerial surveys, and transporting cargo for future missions. Such vehicles could explore volcanic regions, navigate canyons, and investigate places beyond the reach of rovers and traditional probes.
“It’s more than just flying on another planet,” Aung states, overseeing the helicopter’s assembly and testing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “It will open doors to a whole new class of exploration.”
Section 1.1: Engineering Challenges of Mars Flight
The Martian atmosphere is incredibly thin, with a density just 1% that of Earth's. This makes flying at altitudes of 9 to 15 feet equivalent to soaring at 100,000 feet back home. To generate lift, the helicopter's counter-rotating blades must spin at an impressive 2,300 to 2,500 revolutions per minute—approximately five times the speed of an Earth-based helicopter. To fit the craft under the Mars 2020 rover, the blades are limited to a 4-foot diameter, which restricts the lifting capacity to just 4 pounds on Earth.
Subsection 1.1.1: Aung’s Journey to JPL
Aung's passion for engineering was ignited in her childhood in Myanmar, despite being born in the U.S. Her family returned to Myanmar during her early years, where she often found herself staring at the stars, pondering the universe's mysteries. “The less you have, the more you think about those things,” she reflects.
She pursued electrical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, inspired by a professor's mention of JPL's work with weak signals from deep space. This opportunity perfectly aligned her love for math, fascination with space, and engineering expertise.
Aung began her career with NASA's Deep Space Network, later developing navigation systems. In 2013, she was appointed deputy manager of the autonomous systems division, and two years later, she took the helm of the Mars Helicopter project. “I was a natural fit,” she remarks.
Section 1.2: The Mars Helicopter's Design
The helicopter boasts a cubical fuselage measuring 5.5 inches, dual carbon-fiber rotors, and a 13-megapixel camera. It is powered by six lithium-ion batteries. A successful test flight took place in January 2019, with plans for it to join the Mars 2020 mission in July of the same year.
Upon its arrival on Mars in February, the helicopter will utilize solar energy to recharge its batteries before conducting diagnostic tests and awaiting further instructions. Due to the vast distance between Earth and Mars, Aung may experience delays of several hours before receiving confirmation of the craft's operational status. In space, quick answers are a rarity, and shortcuts do not exist.
Chapter 2: Mars Helicopter Discovery
This video details the alarming findings of NASA's Mars Drone, which raised concerns among scientists following its latest discovery.
In this video, NASA's Mars Drone issues a warning to scientists about a significant and unsettling new discovery made on the Red Planet.