NASA proposes Nighthawk mission to explore Mars' canyons

NASA is developing a new helicopter mission called Nighthawk to explore Mars' Noctis Labyrinthus, a challenging terrain with canyons and dunes. This mission aims to improve upon the previous Ingenuity helicopter, which had limitations in communication and flight capabilities. Nighthawk will be a larger, stand-alone drone designed to carry a 5 kg science payload, including cameras and water detection instruments. It is expected to travel about 300 km during its mission, focusing on finding water deposits and studying the region's evolution. The Nighthawk mission has gained support from NASA scientists and is part of ongoing efforts to explore Mars. There is no set date for its launch, but it represents a significant advancement in Martian exploration technology.