NASA sending autonomous helicopter to Mars with 2020 rover
Washington, May 12: NASA has confirmed it is sending an autonomous helicopter to Red Planet that will travel with the Mars rover mission, currently scheduled to launch in July 2020.
The small, lightweight Mars Helicopter will demonstrate the viability and potential of heavier-than-air vehicles on the Red Planet.
"The idea of a helicopter flying the skies of another planet is thrilling. The Mars Helicopter holds much promise for our future science, discovery, and exploration missions to Mars," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement on Friday.
Started in August 2013 as a technology development project at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Mars Helicopter weighs at 1.8 kgs.
Its fuselage is about the size of a softball, and its twin, counter-rotating blades will bite into the thin Martian atmosphere at almost 3,000 rpm -- about 10 times the rate of a helicopter on Earth.
"It's fitting that the US is the first nation in history to fly the first heavier-than-air craft on another world," said Representative John Culberson (Texas).
The chopper will attempt controlled flight in Mars' thin atmosphere.
The helicopter has built-in capabilities needed for operation at Mars, including solar cells to charge its lithium-ion batteries, and a heating mechanism to keep it warm through the cold Martian nights.
"Exploring the Red Planet with NASA's Mars Helicopter exemplifies a successful marriage of science and technology innovation and is a unique opportunity to advance Mars exploration for the future," said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA.
The altitude record for a helicopter flying on Earth is about 40,000 feet.
"The atmosphere of Mars is only one per cent that of Earth, so when our helicopter is on the Martian surface, it's already at the Earth equivalent of 100,000 feet up," said Mimi Aung, Mars Helicopter project manager at JPL.
"To make it fly at that low atmospheric density, we had to scrutinize everything, make it as light as possible while being as strong and as powerful as it can possibly be," Aung added.
Once the rover is on the planet's surface, a suitable location will be found to deploy the helicopter down from the vehicle and place it onto the ground.
The rover then will be driven away from the helicopter to a safe distance from which it will relay commands.
After its batteries are charged and a myriad of tests are performed, controllers on Earth will command the Mars Helicopter to take its first autonomous flight into history.
"We don't have a pilot and Earth will be several light minutes away, so there is no way to joystick this mission in real time," said Aung.
The full 30-day flight test campaign will include up to five flights of incrementally farther flight distances, up to a few hundred meters, and longer durations as long as 90 seconds, over a period.
On its first flight, the helicopter will make a short vertical climb to 10 feet, where it will hover for about 30 seconds.
Mars 2020 will launch on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, and is expected to reach Mars in February 2021.
The rover will conduct geological assessments of its landing site on Mars, determine the habitability of the environment, search for signs of ancient Martian life, and assess natural resources and hazards for future human explorers.
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India urges Bangladesh to take strong measures to ensure safety of Hindus
New Delhi (PTI): Amid reports of tension in Bangladesh's Chittagong following provocative social media posts, India on Thursday urged Dhaka to take action against "extremist" elements and ensure the safety of the country's Hindu community.
During a weekly media briefing here, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the alleged attack on the members of the Hindu community in Chittagong.
The tension was the result of "incendiary posts" on social media, he said.
"We have seen many videos circulating on social media. It is condemnable," Jaiswal said.
The MEA spokesperson underlined that it is Dhaka's "special responsibility" that the minorities be given security.
"In Chittagong, incendiary posts were made on social media. Those provocative things were related to the Hindu community. A disturbance happened and some members of the Hindu community were threatened and many properties were looted," he said.
"Extremist elements" are behind this and such things can lead to an increase in communal tension, Jaiswal told reporters.
He also said, "It is our request to the government there to control and take action against these elements and take strong measures to ensure the safety of people of the Hindu and other minority communities."
India on October 12 said it had noted with "serious concern" the reported attack on a Puja mandap and theft at a revered Kali temple in Bangladesh and urged Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship.
To a query on a statement posted on the Awami League's verified social media handles in which Sheikh Hasina congratulated President-elect Donald Trump, with the words 'prime minister' in parenthesis affixed before her name, Jaiswal said, "What I have said before, you consider that our position."
"We have said from this place before that she is a former prime minister of Bangladesh, so that is where it stands," the MEA spokesperson said.
Hasina fled to India from Bangladesh on August 5 after being ousted from power following an unprecedented anti-government resistance.
To a query on a workshop being organised by Delhi-based think-tank Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), he shared details and the context of the event.
"As an important neighbouring country of India, developments in Myanmar are of interest to us and other stakeholders, including the academic community, think tanks and our business community," Jaiswal said.
On November 5-6, one particular workshop on Indian experience in constitutionalism and federalism was held, where "they invited stakeholders from various segments of the Myanmar society", he said.
"It is our understanding that such interactions, we hope, will contribute to deliberations on developing a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned solution to address the country's current challenges," the MEA spokesperson said.
"India remains on its part, a steadfast supporter of democracy, peace and stability in Myanmar," he added.
Jaiswal was also asked about the way forward after the recent disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops at two friction points in eastern Ladakh.
"Disengagement has moved forward, patrolling has commenced at both Depsang and Demchok. Patrolling has started at places as per the agreement. Some reports have come that there were some roadblocks in it. But those reports are not correct. I think, the (Indian) Army has also issued a clarification on this, that report is not correct," he said.
On India-US economic ties and the existing issues in it, Jaiswal said, "Talks are going on between the two countries and whatever issues are there in economic ties, both countries need to think deeply and find agreements and work will be done on it."
"We would want to have talks on the issues, so our ties become stronger," Jaiswal added.
