Ingenuity fails to take off on 4th flight
When early today Ingenuity attempted to complete its fourth and most ambitious test flight on Mars the helicopter did not lift off, for reasons that engineers are still investigating.
[JPL] engineers are assessing the data, since it’s not yet clear what caused the failure. One potential cause is a software issue that first showed up during a high-speed spin test ahead of the chopper’s first flight. That test failed because Ingenuity’s flight computer was unable to transition from “pre-flight” to “flight” mode. Within a few days, though, [JPL] engineers resolved the issue with a quick software rewrite.
But those engineers determined that their fix would only successfully transition the helicopter into flight mode 85% of the time. So Thursday’s attempt may have fallen into the 15% of instances in which it doesn’t work.
This flight was supposed to fly south for about 430 feet, take pictures, and then return to its take-off point. If they can trouble-shoot the issue they hope to do another flight quickly. They still have a week left in their 30 day test period.
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When early today Ingenuity attempted to complete its fourth and most ambitious test flight on Mars the helicopter did not lift off, for reasons that engineers are still investigating.
[JPL] engineers are assessing the data, since it’s not yet clear what caused the failure. One potential cause is a software issue that first showed up during a high-speed spin test ahead of the chopper’s first flight. That test failed because Ingenuity’s flight computer was unable to transition from “pre-flight” to “flight” mode. Within a few days, though, [JPL] engineers resolved the issue with a quick software rewrite.
But those engineers determined that their fix would only successfully transition the helicopter into flight mode 85% of the time. So Thursday’s attempt may have fallen into the 15% of instances in which it doesn’t work.
This flight was supposed to fly south for about 430 feet, take pictures, and then return to its take-off point. If they can trouble-shoot the issue they hope to do another flight quickly. They still have a week left in their 30 day test period.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
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c/o Robert Zimmerman
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Is that 30 day test period a self imposed dead line or is that how long Ingenuity’s battery would last? They should try to debug the issue with the helicopter to the point of where they could fly it ahead of the rover, then keep leep frogging it until the rotors give out.
Kyle: That 30 day (actually 30 sols, which is slightly longer) is the planned time. I suspect it could be extended, but that would then delay Perseverance’s mission to explore Jezero Crater. At a certain point it makes no sense to just do more flights if they have the engineering data they need.
I don’t know what they will decide but I would guess they will make at least one more flight attempt to make sure they understand why today’s flight aborted, then maybe do another flight to failure, to see how much range this prototype can give them.
Mr Zimmerman: I hope they do get to the point were they can fly the helo to failure, it would be a shame if they have to abandon a functioning instrument due to time constraints, or a software issue for that matter. I would much rather have the reason be a mechanical issue, but I am just a space fanboy, not a scientist.
So was the software for Ingenuity written by the same folks who work for Boeing? It feels like we’ve been seeing a lot of these issues lately.
Skunk Bucket: No, the software was not written by Boeing. Where do you get that fantasy? This was designed and built by JPL. And the software issue is quite reasonable for a test vehicle, as Ingenuity is.
Sorry, I was trying to be humorous, but I probably should have including an emoji to make it more clear. The ability to reprogram a helicopter sitting on the surface of Mars would have sounded like science fiction only a few years ago. I’m also quite impressed that they can get enough lift in such a thin atmosphere to fly, even considering the lower gravity.
They’ll figure it out. Robert made the good point after the first bug that while it had been tested on earth in an atmospheric chamber with pulleys and weights to simulate earth’s gravity on Ingenuity, the blades themselves had never spun in Martian gravity.
Kudos to JPL and NASA, because it’s difficult to make absolutely *sure* your code is right and tight. They program in so many failsafes, and that can be a good thing because there are NO repair facilities available!
At least, not yet…
Igor