Ingenuity helicopter surpasses NASA's expectations with 50 successful flights on Mars.

NASA's Perseverance rover has captured a close-up shot of its Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which has completed 50 flights on the Red Planet. The helicopter has exceeded its expected lifetime by 23 Earth months and 45 flights, becoming central to Mars exploration. Ingenuity has shown engineers how helpful aircraft can be in assisting planetary expeditions and has been used to inspire designs for potential future Mars helicopters. NASA's Perseverance rover seeks to collect Martian rock and sediment samples that can be analysed by scientists back on Earth, expected to take place no sooner than 2033.