India plans helicopter addition to next Mars mission, following NASA’s lead

With ISRO’s ambitious plans for a Mars helicopter mission, India is poised to further solidify its position as a key player in the realm of space exploration, marking yet another milestone in the country’s illustrious spacefaring journey.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has unveiled plans to include a helicopter in its upcoming Mars mission, taking inspiration from NASA’s pioneering Ingenuity drone.

The announcement comes on the heels of India’s successful Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), known affectionately as “Mangalyaan,” which entered Mars’ orbit in September 2014, marking a significant milestone for the country’s space program. During a recent webinar, Jayadev Pradeep, a scientist at the Space Physics Laboratory of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, disclosed details of ISRO’s ambitious venture. According to reports from India Today, the proposed helicopter will accompany an Indian Mars lander, slated for launch in the early 2030s.

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The helicopter, equipped with a suite of scientific instruments, aims to conduct aerial exploration of the Martian surface, offering valuable insights into the planet’s atmosphere and terrain. Planned payloads include sensors to measure temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, electric fields, and trace species and dust levels, with a particular focus on mapping the vertical distribution of dust aerosols.

ISRO envisions the helicopter capable of reaching altitudes of up to 328 feet (100 meters) above Mars’ surface, allowing for detailed atmospheric profiling. For comparison, NASA’s Ingenuity, which accompanied the Perseverance rover to Mars’ Jezero Crater in February 2021, achieved altitudes of up to 79 feet (24 meters) and covered a horizontal distance of 10.5 miles (17 kilometers) during its mission.

Ingenuity’s groundbreaking success served as a testament to the feasibility of flight in Mars’ thin atmosphere, surpassing all expectations. Initially slated for five technology-demonstrating flights, the 4-pound (1.8 kilograms) chopper exceeded all expectations, completing an impressive 72 sorties before succumbing to rotor-blade damage in January 2024.

With ISRO’s ambitious plans for a Mars helicopter mission, India is poised to further solidify its position as a key player in the realm of space exploration, marking yet another milestone in the country’s illustrious spacefaring journey.