mlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>
Tucked beneath the solar array of a small helicopter on Mars is a postage-stamp-size piece of muslin from a wing of the Wright Flyer, a nod to the first successful demonstration of powered flight 117 years ago.
About the size of a tissue box, Ingenuity stands on four carbon-composite landing legs, each 1.26 ft. Its four blades, arranged into two 4-ft.-long contrarotating rotors, are designed to spin at about 2,400 rpm to generate enough lift to fly in the thin Martian air.
Access exclusive subscriber-only coverage on this high-risk, high-reward technology.
Plus every subscriber has access to our eBook library, featuring updates in supersonics, manned and unmanned innovation in aviation, the renaissance of high-speed air travel, the legends behind the world's first wide-body jet, emerging technologies making their way into the MRO market, technological developments for new satellites & the next generation of space start-ups and the most pressing issues facing military pilots today.
Subscribe today and receive all of this plus exclusive online access at aviationweek.com | | SUBSCRIBE NOW | | | | Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS |
|
|
|
|
