NASA Shares First Color Photo Of Mars Captured By Ingenuity Helicopter
Image via Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock.com
Despite the prospects of commercial space travel still being uncertain, would-be tourists already have a clear idea of what to expect when humans officially lodge on Mars, thanks to the numerous photos sent back by NASA’s rovers.
The latest image of the Red Planet that the space agency shared was shot by Ingenuity. While the quality isn’t stellar—the copy uploaded by NASA measures at a mere 320 x 240 pixels—it holds significance for being the first color photo taken by the helicopter.
As well as the Jezero Crater’s parched floor, the photo shows a glimpse of the Perseverance rover’s wheels.
The Ingenuity helicopter currently rests on the Martian surface, attached to the Perseverance rover, in wait of its first flight on Mars.
It is worth noting that flying on Mars isn’t as easy as flying on Earth, given the Red Planet’s exceptional gravity and low-density atmosphere (just 1% the density of Earth’s). Temperatures at night can go as low as -130 degrees Fahrenheit, which can shatter or freeze electrical parts.
Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech
[via CNET, images via various sources]
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