SkyFall Rotors Hit Mach 1.08 in Mars-Atmosphere Tests
NASA’s SkyFall project tested next‑gen Mars rotor designs in a Mars‑simulated chamber, pushing rotor-tip speeds to Mach 1.08 and showing a ~30% lift boost over Ingenuity, enabling heavier payloads. Ingenuity flew subsonically on Mars to gather data; Mars’ thin atmosphere lowers the effective Mach barrier. The 2028 SkyFall mission plans three helicopters to scout landing sites and map subsurface water ice.