Freelance writer

Randy Padfield

Helicopters have hovered over and landed on the 29,029-foot summit of Mount Everest, but hovering anywhere on Mars is&nbsp;a whole new ballgame. The Martian atmosphere is less than one percent of the atmospheric volume on Earth—the equivalent of flying at an altitude of about 100,000 feet above&nbsp;Earth.

 


This week at Heli-Expo 2020, visitors will see a non-working model&nbsp;of the twin-rotor, solar-powered Mars Helicopter. The actual Mars Helicopter has already been attached to the bell of the Mars 2020 rover in preparation for the scheduled launch in July as&nbsp;a part of NASA's Mars 2020 rover mission.&nbsp;

 


On Wednesday at the show, a special presentation, "Taking Flight with the Mars Helicopter," will be held from 3&nbsp;p.m. to 5 p.m in Room 204B at the Anaheim Convention Center. Representatives of NASA and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are bringing the replica and will discuss the 2020 Mars Mission, which includes research into the potential for finding life on Mars. Speakers will also discuss the challenges of designing, developing, and testing a&nbsp;helicopter on Mars.

 


To create enough lift to sustain flight in such a thin atmosphere, the engineers designed a rotor&nbsp;system than spins at more than 3,000 rpm (Earthbound helicopter main rotors&nbsp;operate at about 400 to 500 rpm). The Mars Helicopter will fly autonomously because the time lag for radio signals between Earth and Mars makes direct control impractical. Radio signals from Earth to Mars (and Mars to Earth) can vary&nbsp;from about 25 seconds to about three minutes.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Mars Helicopter Replica Rotors Into Anaheim

NASA's Mars Helicopter, designed to operate in the red planet's extremely thin air, makes an appearance this week at Heli-Expo 2020 in Anaheim, California.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Neelam Mathews

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Nepal’s army and private operators have deployed rotorcraft across the flood zone

Helicopters Play Crucial Role in Himalayan Flood Rescues

Charlotte Bailey

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Pentagon permission facilitates sale of Bell 412EXP and 407M

U.S. Approves $800M Bell 407/412 Sale to Iraq Military

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Fire and disaster management agency to use aircraft in aerial reconnaissance role

Japan Orders Its First H160 for Emergency Response

Flights with two scaled technology demonstrators will inform potential future iterations 

Singaporean eVTOL Conducts Test Campaign In Germany 

Matt Thurber

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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