The Mars Ingenuity Helicopter flew for the last time on Jan. 18, 2024, and NASA concluded its flight operations after post-flight imagery confirmed damage to at least one of the rotorcraft’s rotor blades that rendered it no longer capable of flight. As the historic mission comes to its end, Ingenuity’s team reflects on some of their favorite moments and memories from the helicopter’s time on Mars.
Designed as a technology demonstration that was expected to fly no more than five times over 30 days, the helicopter’s primary mission was to prove that powered, controlled flight on another planet was possible, which it did on April 19, 2021. But Ingenuity exceeded expectations and transitioned into an operations demonstration - completing 72 flights in just under three years and paving the way for future aerial exploration on the Red Planet and beyond.
NASA invites the public to celebrate Ingenuity’s legacy by sharing messages on social media with the hashtag #ThanksIngenuity.
For more information on Ingenuity, go to: mars.nasa.gov/ingenuity
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech; WATSON images: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS; Mastcam-Z images: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS
They were only expecting Ingenuity to fly 5 times but it flew 72x. Congratulations 🎉
❤❤❤❤❤
I am sometimes not sure, whether they make extreme conservative assumptions so that they do not get negative statements, if things do not work as expected and very positive ones, because it works much better than planned.
i think they plan for a bare minimum number, its mars, we cant fully predict everything thatll happen, shoot low so when u go high its great, but if u set numbers high, and fall below that, its technically a failure@@TorstenKnodt
That's not really accurate. 5 times may be their minimal goal they set and 'guarantee' but it's not what they build for. They're all designed and engineered to do a lot more, which is why basically every project far exceeds the goal.
It took 300,000 years for humanity to achieve powered flight. A mere 118 years later we flew something on another world. Congratulations to everyone involved on this historic achievement.
Couldn't have said it better myself! 🫡
Fake news. Done on a movie set. Aren't we glad that those conspiracy theories are over, and no one says fake news anymore
Fly High Ingenuity.... you will be missed dearly.... thank you for your service.... you done well little buddy... #ThanksIngenuity
Flying helicopters on another planet - what a time to be alive! 👍
It's always emotional to say goodbye to these machines! Especially to the team of inventors. Work that machines do is incredibly important to humanity.
Thanks, Ingenuity. Your rotors will spin at 2700 rpm in our hearts forever.
Noooo! I knew the project would come to an end one day, but I wasn't prepared for it. 😢😢😢
You have to wonder how much longer it could have flown had the rotor not been damaged. Thanks ingenuity, and thank you JPL and NASA for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I hope someday we'll be able to bring Ingenuity home and have a parade.
Better to see here there ..... in a Mars museum
And Oppy (Opportunity) 🥹😢❤
@@user-tn4ih3he7hDon't forget Spirit. If they're able to salvage it from the sand pit in one piece then that'll be a big achievement.
Noooooooo 😭😭😭😭 Thank you, Ingenuity
Thanks Ingenuity and everyone involved with the mission!
What an amazing machine. Well done JPL, and farewell Ingenuity.
Oh, man. Job well done, little buddy. We're so proud of you and your team.
RIP little buddy
I remember when i started watching Ingenuity footage shortly after the pandemic, i manged to get myself a place after being homeless awhile and it really helped me look forward to the future. Im sad that after that i disnt watch it muchx i was homeless again mutiple times and i never really caught back up with my space interest as i was to busy working and struggling. At least i can go thru all the amazing footage that have been capture over these years
Good luck hoodyk -- nice to hear that your earthly struggles didn't keep you from your extraterrestrial dreams. Best of luck with your holding onto your new home, where ever that might be. 👍👍👍
72 flights, 72 amazing discoveries... Fly high Ingenuity!
Thanks Ingenuity and congrats to all those scientists and engineers who made possible this technological marvel!
#ThanksIngenuity you were a mighty little machine, you will be missed. Sleep well on Mars o7
GO Ingenuity! Thanks so much! 72 flights is very impressive! rest well ..sooo emotional!
Bummer but we all knew this day was coming. What a fantastic piece of engineering. Lots of data to pour over for the next few years. Great job JPL. You guys really knocked it out of the park on this mission.
RIP little one, time to rest your wings.
Great job Ingenuity team
Not since the Moon Rovers have I been so excited by a an extraterrestrial vehicle. Thanks to the outstanding team at JPL! What an amazing success!
That little flying Box. You gave the whole mankind so much inspiration. We all hoped he could fly those 5 times you where prepared for and you gave us 72. Thats amazing! I hope one day we can bring you home... greetings from germany
I still remember the day you were the first Fly to Mars a you were i am very be happy I've been 😊 but sad to hear this news today 😢 but we will never forget you. Thank you so much for what you have given us for the future ❤️ and for the 72 flights congratulations 🎉
3 YEARS - 72 Flights .. extremely exceeded expectations!!!
Thank you to the team for amazing coverage through all those years.
Amazing job Ingenuity paving the way for extraterrestrial flight ❤
I can’t imagine how exciting it must be to work on projects like this, how satisfying it is to see it work, go beyond what’s expected, and bittersweet when it comes to an end… congrats and thank you to all involved!
#Thanks INGENUITY 🤗❤️. You deserve it🫶🏼
Need to take a new replacement blade on the first trip to mars !
lol
Kudos to the design and operations team. Very well done!
Another high flyer that has paved the way for future missions! What an achievement is that?🎉🎉👍🏾👍
Thanks Ingenuity! You soared so we could fly higher! You will be missed!
All the best to the entire team for the excellent achievement! Congratulations! ❤ 🤗 🏆 🚁 🎉 🥂 💎
RIP Ingenuity! Thank you for your service! o7
Congratulations......It is a great Evolution in space science...... Thanks to Nasa 👍👍❤❤
Thank you to all the teams and connections at JPL for this wonderful machine.
You have reached a milestone with Ingenuity. Even if he had only lifted off the Martian soil once it would have been an outstanding masterpiece that will not be achieved again for decades. You have more than exceeded your goals. Congratulations everyone!
Great work Ingenuity and the team! You guys did amazing!
Thank you ingenuity .fir proving that thinking outside of the box an taking problem solving skills can make it possible to fly the sky's of other worlds
Ingenuity - you under promised and over delivered Thank you for the wonderful pictures 🎉 Many #ThanksIngenuity
I love how you honour your creations. seems like a healthy relation to tech! keep up the great work
Though its blades may rest, the spirit of Ingenuity soars forever in the Martian skies, leaving behind a legacy of daring exploration and inspiration. Rest peacefully, little rotorcraft 🫶💕
literally crying. what's wrong with me? farewell, little machinetoypetfriend!
Thank you all sir🙏
What i would say to Ingenuity........"Wait for us, we'll pick you up"
The saddest part is realizing Perseverance will have to continue its journey with its lifelong friend no longer by its side 😢 Rest well, Ginny 🫡
In the HEART❤ forever!❤😢💔
Welp. Rest Easy little buddy....
Thank you Ingenuity...and Ingenuity team for bringing us this amazing vehicle
Thank you for everything ❤
Fantastic effort well done 🚁🚁🚁🚁🚁🚁
I would absolutely love to have a "Remembering Ingenuity" type of poster to have to remember the mission and how successful and innovate it was.
As a drone (quad copter) enthusiast I was riveted by the fact that NASA was sending a helicopter(coaxial) to fly on Mars. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that the thin atmosphere of Mars would support such an undertaking. I am blown away by the crew of brilliant scientists and engineers that pulled this off. And with every successful flight Engenuity became more of a legend and dare I say a personality. I can hardly wait until it is brought back and displayed in a museum. Congratulations Engenuity and the crew!!! What a stellar (pun intended) achievement.
Thank you Ingenuity! You flew well! May you rest in peace now! #ThanksIngenuity
Thanks to all you engineers for your excellence!!! It's amazing what you pulled off!
it honestly makes me cry knowing that this little thing made it this far I remember when me and my classmates watched this launch we didn't have work because of the launch and we saw the landing and we lost contact then we regained contact and its hard #thanksingenuity #ingenuityyoudidwell
RIP INGENUITY 😢 ILL SEE YOU WHEN WE GET THERE!!! See u when we get there!!!
Incredible Engineering to make something that physically LOOKS simple to happen. Absolutely the best of humanity.
ILY INGENUITY
With ingenuity and perseverence, the whole of the cosmos is ours to explore.
Thanks Ingenuity. But more importantly, thanks to all the men and women who designed, created and operated it. 👍
Thank you so much NASA and JPL for pushing the boundries of what is possible for humanity!!!!
Ingenuity, we will pick you up someday and return you home. You have done your job many times over with success. Thanks to you and your team members who have started a new way to explore Mars.
It was a fantastic reconnaissance vehicle. I'm sure that there will be many more exploring mars in the future.
Congratulations to Bob Balaram and the team for designing such an amazing machine, that exceeded all expectations. Extraordinary job!
Thank you, Ingenuity.
Aww thank you Ingenuity and your wonderful creators! What an amazing feat of engineering and design you were 🥺😊
#ThanksIngenuity ! You made history on April 19th 2021, and continued to do so 71 more times! For over two years, we had a helicopter just flying around on another planet, what a time to be alive! Well done JPL for exceeding all expectations with this mission.
Ingenuity means that it "has Integrity and Is genuine"❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
It was among the grandest of grand adventures.
RIP, FIRST HELICOPTER OF MARS. MOTHER OF ALL FUTURE MARS HELICOPTERS. 😢
So amazing! Such a huge Milestone! I cant wait to see the next steps.
Well done, JPL. Another one for the books. We love you Ingenuity!
Goodbye, Ingenuity. Also, I will give a sorrow congrats to you. R.I.P INGENUITY 2021-2024
I think Ingenuity is even more exciting than the UFO controversy. 😂😊
Great work, JPL!!
We have lost yet another legend. But Ingenuity has served well, and must rest now at peace. May the little Martian helicopter rest in peace
RIP little bird. 😔
Thank you Ingenuity, you did amazingly! You will be missed. The little 'copter that could. o7
Goodbye Ingenuity, and we thank you!
To the engineers scientist and planners - Thank you , your hard work and sleepless nights paved the way for so much more , you were the FIRST 👋🤜
Even if Ingenuity is just a little machine, that brings a tear to my eye that it's gone now. Goodbye Ingenuity :)
Humans ability to pack bond with literally anything, including scientific equpiment will never not be facinating
Ingenuity you have been....Most Excellent 😎
Thanks ingenuity :(
Ginny will be not forgotten. Thanks you all at the JPL for this mane made marvel.
Thank you, you plucky little helicopter. They were not even sure if you could fly at all. You paved the way for future crafts to take on the Martian skies.
That'll do Ginny, that'll do. Rest easy now. Uncle Percy will take it from here.
An amazing piece of engineering. Keep up the fantastic work guys and gals, you’re doing a great job!
JPL rocks!
Ack, what a way to find out after the anomoly!
Ive followed this journey from launch. What an awesome feat.
where are all the amazing photos and videos taken by Ingenuity? please post a link.
RIP Ingenuity
Gracias Ingenuity.
Thants.
Sad to know she will not ever fly again, but she'll forever be known as the Founding Mother of all future aircraft to fly on other planets. Thank you, Ingenuity! :)
Crazy good helicopter