Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Endured 6-Day Communication Blackout in April

NASA's Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, went silent for six days in April, causing concern for its handlers. The solar-powered chopper had been drifting in and out of nighttime survival mode since January, making it harder to hail the chopper and plan its activities. A rocky outcrop also created a "communications shadow" between Ingenuity and its robotic partner, the Perseverance rover. The Ingenuity blackout began on sol 755, or April 5, and finally ended on sol 761 when the mission team spotted a signal during the helicopter's expected wakeup window.