JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Image

NASA's Mars Helicopters: Present, Future, and Proposed

Nov. 14, 2022
This illustration depicts three different of models of NASA's solar-powered Mars helicopter.

This illustration depicts three different of models of NASA's solar-powered Mars helicopter.

In the upper right is the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, currently operating at Jezero Crater.

Depicted in the foreground is one of two Sample Recovery Helicopters slated to fly to Mars as part of the Mars Sample Return Campaign. NASA is developing the Sample Recovery Helicopters to serve as backups to the agency's Perseverance rover in transporting sample tubes to the Sample Return Lander.

In the upper center of image is the Mars Science Helicopter concept. A proposed follow-on to Ingenuity, the six-rotor Mars Science Helicopter could be used during future Mars missions to serve as an aerial scout and carry between 4.5 and 11 pounds (2 to 5 kilograms) of payload, including science instruments, to study terrain that rovers can't reach.

Download JPG
Download TIFF
Mission
Target
  • Mars
Spacecraft
  • Ingenuity
Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech

Keep Exploring

Perseverance Rover Watches Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's 54th Flight

Perseverance Seen From Above During Flight 54

Perseverance Checks Out Ingenuity

Ingenuity Before Flight 52's Landing

Leading Up to Flight 50

'Castell Henllys' From Above

Ingenuity Captures Perseverance at Belva Crater

Ingenuity at 'Airfield Mu'

Ingenuity Team Celebrates Two Years of Mars Flight

Ingenuity and Perseverance Make Tracks

Related Topics

News .

Autonomous Systems Help NASA’s Perseverance Do More Science on Mars

News .

NASA Releases Independent Review’s Mars Sample Return Report

News .

NASA’s Curiosity Reaches Mars Ridge Where Water Left Debris Pileup

News .

NASA’s Oxygen-Generating Experiment MOXIE Completes Mars Mission

News .

NASA, Partners Study Ancient Life in Australia to Inform Mars Search

News .

Watch NASA Engineers Put a Mars Lander’s Legs to the Test

News .

Cracks in Ancient Martian Mud Surprise NASA’s Curiosity Rover Team

News .

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Flies Again After Unscheduled Landing

News .

NASA InSight Study Finds Mars Is Spinning Faster

News .

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Faces Its Toughest Climb Yet on Mars

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors
Careers
Internships
The JPL Story
JPL Achievements
Documentary Series
Annual Reports
JPL Plan: 2023-2026
Missions
Current
Past
Future
All
News
All
Earth
Solar System
Stars and Galaxies
Subscribe to JPL News
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Apps
Visions of the Future
Slice of History
Robotics at JPL
Events
Lecture Series
Team Competitions
Speakers Bureau
Calendar
Visit
Public Tours
Virtual Tour
Directions and Maps
Topics
JPL Life
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Exoplanets
Stars and Galaxies
Robotics
More
Asteroid Watch
NASA's Eyes Visualizations
Universe - Internal Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Managers: Veronica McGregor, Randal Jackson
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Naomi Hartono
CL#: 21-0018