Ingenuity crash scene investigation using new images

Episode 152
Ingenuity’s last flight trashed its rotor blades but left it standing and still able to communicate. Now new images from SuperCam on Perseverance provide enough detail to piece together the final moments of this ill-fated flight.

[relwaretep]

We're so much better informed from your videos and Simeon Schmauß's photographic processing. Many thanks to you both!

[Anmeteor]

What a mind-blowing moment. Air crash investigation and simulation on another planet😮 Incredible. I was a small boy when Apollo 11 happened. I saw Armstrong step onto the Moon so watching this is a joy. Thanks Mars Guy

[respectbossmon]

Ingenuity is a name that joins other superb feats of engineering that survived far past their planned missions such as Spirit, Opportunity, and Voyager. While this is disappointing, we can't say we didn't get our money's worth.

[Skeeter]

Thanks for the comprehensive explanation of what we observe together. It’s a testament to your commitment to keep us involved. Ingenuity 2.0 can’t be far behind. Nothing succeeds like an amazing success. Thanks for donating your time and expertise.

[pipersall]

Thanks! First time Ive seen that an entire blade had detached. Wow. What a great little craft. Excellent work by the team!

[grahammercer]

So long Ingenuity, you were a real champion.
Thanks for all of your excellent videos

[rjung_ch]

Sure looks like that is how it could have happened.
We had a great time with Ingenuity as long as it lasted. In the future, even better helicopters or other flying objects will be present, great engineering feat!
Thanks Mars Guy! 👍💪✌

[cuplove]

Thx again for attempting to solve the secrets and explaining them to us. Your videos are much appreciated.
Somehow I like it that the little guy went out with a bang rather than abrasion slowly killing all mechanics. It’s a marvel of engineering and the stamina it showed is phenomenal !! We need to applaud the team that made it and I really hope NASA gets their sh*t together and creates a documentary about it coming into being as well as it’s live and the static phase that will no doubt follow…

[bren]

Ingenuity is down but not out and many will be cheering it along as it continues on with its new missions. Because of Ingenuity a whole new avenue of space exploration is being realized. There are several helicopters in production to explore other planets and their moons and I hope all future helicopters will have an image of Ingenuity engraved on them.

NASA released a concept drawing of Mars Aerial and Ground Global Intelligent Explorer or MAGGIE. It is a compact, autonomous, fixed wing, vertical take-off/landing (VTOL), electric aircraft powered by solar energy. The available concept picture of one design is awesome. MAGGIE will fly someday on Mars thanks to Ingenuity's success. Rock on NASA, rock on!

[JKTCGMV]

I worked on drop testing the helicopter where we tried to replicate quite a similar scenario. This is valuable data if they can get IMU data to go with it. If it’s not already able to transmit it, hopefully a software update can change that.

Great explanation about the incident.
It would be very interesting if someone or the Ingenuity team could make a 3D animation with the reconstruction of the final moments.

[Rincypoopoo]

I wonder if the hard initial touchdown caused a blade strike - where the upper blades bend downwards under inertia and hit the lower blades ? Used to cause similar blade damage to my contra rotating R/C helicopter

[stefanschneider]

Thx as always for the concise wrap up the moment that ended this little copters flying capability

[wbwarren]

How terrible! If NASA had only purchased the premium extended warranty that includes on-site repair!

[cibinskymojo]

I am sooo sad Ingenuity is broken. What a fantastic life it had. Thank you, as always, Mars Guy for the update. Also, as always, your channel is the BEST.

[clay-twgc]

It seems that both Ingenuity and Voyager 1 ended remarkably extended careers at the same time. Both made major contributions. Ingenuity demonstrated that yes airborne vehicles can fly on other worlds and they can do real research. Voyager 1 led us into interstellar space told us what it was like.

[randalllewis]

Thank you Mars Guy. Accidents happen and I do appreciate the investigation results, but I will also look forward to hearing about the changes to future Martian flyers based on what the clever engineers at JPL have learned from Ingenuity's many successes and this sad ending.

[-mike-]

No fatalities so that's good... oh and that placement of the SA knife on the ledge of the mast cam was perfect. Thx Mars Guy!

[AerialWaviator]

Such a comprehensive and concise summary. Mars Guy acting as Dr. Watson. 🧐

The absence of rotor marks on the sandy surface keeps me wondering. Environmental conditions might have been a factor, like wind gusting down the riverbed across the sand ripples that effected location. Without the telemetry data (lost as power reset), we'll never know how Ingenuity drifted, pitched, and yawed. What the other side of that sand ripple looks like makes me wonder too. ie: if Ingenuity flew into it and bounced up and over? This just another mystery on Mars.

[maxcelcat]

Ok now I'm sad about this little robot...