After 72 flights fortune finally caught up with the amazing Mars explorer helicopter Ingenuity. The last landing seems to have damaged one of its rotors and flying in an atmosphere about 1% as dense as earth’s that proved fatal.
From a simple technological demonstration originally planned with luck involving five flights. Over time as it proved more flexible and robust the mission became more of scouting ahead for the rover and so covering much more area than planners had ever imagined. Its legacy will be profound for planetary exploration and is already shaping future missions.
Administrator Bill Nelson announces the end of Ingenuity Mars Helicopter
NASA’s Mars Helicopter Team Says Goodbye
Watch the Ingenuity helicopter's first flight on Mars