NASA's Indian-Made Chopper Sets Record for Longest Flight on Mars

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, designed by Indian citizen Dr J Bob Balaram, has successfully completed 64 flights on Mars, marking the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. Weighing only 1.8 kg and made of ultra-lightweight carbon fiber, Ingenuity overcame the challenges of the thin Martian atmosphere with blades rotating at 10 times the speed of helicopters on Earth. Dr Balaram, who studied at IIT Madras, hopes to inspire Indian students to pursue space exploration and contribute to the country's space initiatives.