NASA engineers confirmed on 19 April 2021 that the helicopter “Ingenuity” had successfully executed a short flight over Mars at 3:34 in the morning.
Eastern Time zone
and was able to land again on the surface of Mars without difficulty.
2
5
This was a historical flight, because for the first time, the human race had flown a motorized vehicle over a planet other than planet Earth, and controlled the flight from Mars itself.
2
The helicopter Ingenuity took a black and white photograph of its shadow on the surface of Mars at the moment it was “airborne.”.
2
This helicopter, built of metal and steel cables, flew for a period of 39.1 seconds at an elevation of 3 meters above the surface of Mars before it landed on the surface of Mars.
4
The helicopter weighed only 1.8 kilos and was 1.2 meters tall.
4
This small helicopter had four large blades made of carbon fiber, which were 1.2 meters long.
3
It was made with two rotors, each rotating in the opposite direction.
4
The rotation speed of the rotors was 2,400 to 2,900 rotations per minute, which is ten times that of helicopters on Earth.
4
The reason that the rotor blades had to rotate so quickly was because Mars’ atmospheric pressure is only 1% of the Earth’s.
4
The helicopter did not carry any scientific equipment,.
3
but had two cameras on board that recorded flight information.
5
Also, this helicopter used solar panels to charge the lithium-ion battery and to power its flight.
5
Ingenuity communicated with NASA’s ground base with the help of NASA's Perseverance probe, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and NASA's Deep Space Network.
DSN
5
Ingenuity was designed to investigate the technologies needed to fly to other planets.
5

Warning: these questons and answers are not all representative of the way questions will be asked and answered in the pilot, because some questions are compound and some answers do not include citations.

Q: On what date and time did the helicopter “Ingenuity” execute its first successful flight over Mars?
A: 19 April 2021, 3:34 am, Eastern Time Zone

Q: Why was this a historical flight?
A: Because for the first time, the human race had flown a motorized vehicle over a planet other than planet Earth, and controlled the flight from Mars itself. 

Q: What was the duration of Ingenuity’s first flight?
A: 39.1 seconds

Q: At what elevation did it fly above Mars’ surface?
A: 3 meters

Q: What was the helicopter made of?
A: Metal and steel cables

Q: How much did it weigh?
A: 1.8 kilos

Q: How tall was it?
A: 1.2 meters

Q: How many blades did it have?
A: Four

Q: How long was each blade?
A: 1.2 meters

Q: What were the blades made of?
A: Carbon fiber

Q: How many rotors did it have?
A: Two

Q: In which direction did the rotors rotate?
A: In the opposite direction from each other

Q: What was the rotation speed of the rotors?
A: 2400-2900 rotations per minute

Q: Why did the rotors have to rotate at a speed ten times faster than on Earth?
A: Mars’ atmospheric pressure is only 1% of that of Earth

Q: What was on board the helicopter?
A: Cameras

Q: What did the helicopter use to charge its lithium ion batteries?
A: Solar panels

Q: How did the helicopter communicate with its ground station?
A: With the help of NASA's Perseverance probe, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN).A: What was the helicopter designed to do?A: To investigate the technologies needed to fly to other planets