Just an update, I was looking forward to the Mars Ingenuity's helicopters first flight this week end.
linkUnfortunately, it looks like its been delayed.
link
I think it will still happen. This stuff is hard to do and they want to get it right.
There are a couple of things about this helicopter that I find interesting.
First, Mars has almost no atmosphere. Its only a small fraction of what we have on earth....so how do you generate enough lift. Well, you also have to realize Mars has only a fraction of earths gravity. In other words, you don't need near as much lift as you would on earth. Still, Mars's atmosphere is so thin, the blades on the copter have to be extra large. Some how they have figured that all out. Them NASA guys are good....
edit: my bad. After watching and understanding the movie
"Hidden Figures"....I should have said gals as well as guys.....
The other thing, and this is more about how we think about ourselves and what could be.
They put a tiny piece of the Wright Brothers Kitty Hawk on that Copter.
link Can you imagine what they would think if they knew over 100 years ago, part of their plane would go to mars and fly.
I don't necessarily believe in the afterlife, but if there is one, they got to be beaming with pride....