NASA Ingenuity: See All 72 Flights of the Mars Helicopter in One Video

A new video from NASA now brings all of the 72 flights of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter in one, and it shows off the many ventures of the tiny space chopper across the Martian skyline.

Initially regarded as a demonstration technology for the Perseverance mission, Ingenuity was only meant for five flights on Mars, but the iconic spacecraft exceeded 14.4 times its expected capabilities.

It is also regarded as the first spacecraft to perform controlled flights on another planet, with its historic flight over Mars starting in 2021.

NASA Ingenuity: All 72 Flights Showcased in One Video

A recent video from NASA takes the world back to memory lane featuring Ingenuity, the iconic space helicopter which is also the first one to do so on another planet, centering on Mars. This was released by NASA on Ingenuity's third anniversary of its first flight last April 19, 2021, regarding it as a significant piece of the entire space exploration venture.

NASA said that the space helicopter was only meant for five flights on Mars over 30 days, but it far exceeded its expectations of being able to fly 72 missions in less than three years.

At one point in Ingenuity's mission, it was also able to beat its record of flight height and speed, despite being millions of miles away from Earth's controls.

Remembering Ingenuity: The First Space Helicopter

The flight lapse of Ingenuity went back to all of its mission in more than a minute, showing off the places it went through and the ground (err, skies) it covered.

It is also regarded as the first-ever space helicopter in NASA's history, with Mars being the first planet that the agency deployed a helicopter to, only meant to see if controlled flight is possible on the Red Planet.

NASA's Ingenuity: Mars Helicopter

The first arrival of NASA's Perseverance mission on Mars was in 2021, and shortly after this moment came the historic first flight of Ingenuity on April 19. Initially, it was scheduled to fly over Mars on April 11.

Still, later, it tested its spin on April 16, coinciding with the birthday of Wilbur Wright, one of the Wright brothers who successfully flew the first airplane in history.

After Ingenuity first crossed the fifth flight threshold, it was already an iconic spacecraft, and it continued doing wonders for NASA, helping the Perseverance study Mars better from a new perspective for the space agency.

Shortly after Flight 72, Ingenuity showed signs of its upcoming demise, with the space agency losing communications with the helicopter for several days.

NASA later reestablished the connection, but it also marked the end of Ingenuity's flight and missions on Mars, serving almost three years for its supposed month-long operation.

Now that Ingenuity is retired and enjoying a peaceful rest on Mars, NASA is remembering its historic feats throughout the years, from its first flight down to its 72nd.