NASA's Ingenuity helicopter crashes on Mars due to navigation sensor failure

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter crashed on Mars during its 72nd flight on January 18, 2024, due to a failure in its navigation sensors. The sensors could not detect enough surface detail, leading to a high-speed landing that broke all four rotors. Ingenuity was initially designed for a 30-day mission but operated for nearly three years, completing over 70 flights. Engineers determined that the helicopter struggled to navigate over smooth terrain, which lacked the visual features needed for accurate positioning. Despite the crash, Ingenuity continues to send weather and avionics data back to Earth through the Perseverance rover. NASA is now developing a larger helicopter for future Mars missions, which will be significantly heavier and capable of longer flights.