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April 20, 2021, 10:30 a.m.

Ingenuity’s flight on Mars rings in a new era of aviation

Summary

NASA has made plenty of history with space flights to Mars. But on Monday began a new chapter: it flew on Mars for the first time using an experimental helicopter, Ingenuity.

Five Facts

  • Who is responsible for this flight on Mars?
  • What is important about this new innovation?
  • When will the current rover's mission end?
  • Why is it difficult to control vehicles on Mars from Earth?
  • How has NASA overcome technical challenges to make this flight possible?

Focus Questions

What would you like to see NASA focus on accomplishing?

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