--- title: "Derelict Helicopter Will Twitch on Mars, NASA Says" description: "Ingenuity, NASA's recently-damaged Mars helicopter, has one last task before its mission is officially over: wiggling around a little." date: "2024-02-02" modified: "2024-02-02" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/mars-helicopter-twitch-nasa" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Mars" - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "ingenuity" - "mars" - "mars helicopter" - "the digest" --- # Derelict Helicopter Will Twitch on Mars, NASA Says ![Ingenuity, NASA's recently-damaged Mars helicopter, has one last task before its mission is officially over: wiggling around a little.]() *\Image: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Futurism\* ## The Wiggles Its mission might be over, but it's [not dead]() just yet! Last week, NASA tragically revealed that its beloved Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, had sustained too much damage to its rotor blades to continue its mission — bringing the [brave chopper's groundbreaking Martian journey]() to an end. But while the four-legged helicopter may no longer be able to take flight, NASA does have one more task for its [scrappy aircraft](): twitching around a little. Yes, really. According [to *Space.com*](), in a livestream on Thursday, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) scientist and Ingenuity team leader Teddy Tzanetos noted that he and his team are planning to rotate and "wiggle" Ingenuity's wings a bit over the next few days. Though Ingenuity's damage is evident, NASA still isn't clear on what exactly happened to the chopper, nor how extensive the destruction is. Thus, in its final days, Ingenuity is tasked with taking videos as it wiggles and twirls about in a last-ditch effort to help NASA understand as much about its demise as possible. ## Ingenuity Forever Even in its death, Ingenuity — the first [humanmade craft]() to execute a controlled flight on another planet — is the gift that keeps giving. When it first landed on Earth's dusty red neighbor [back in 2021](), Ingenuity was expected to complete just five flights. It far surpassed expectations, going aloft on an incredible 72 occasions. "The NASA JPL team didn't just demonstrate the technology," NASA's Mars Exploration Program Deputy Director Tiffany Morgan said during the livestream, according to *Space.com*, "they demonstrated an approach that if we use in the future will really help us to explore other planets and be as awe-inspiring, as amazing, as Ingenuity has been." Beyond its more personal achievements, Ingenuity also proved to be a terrific partner for NASA's still-kicking Mars rover Perseverance. As the rover rolled around on the dusty red planet below, Ingenuity was able to provide aerial support, scouting the Martian surface for interesting features and potential dangers. As Morgan reportedly added in the livestream, this "allowed the planners to navigate the terrain as well as to identify potentially compelling science targets." But while Ingenuity's work might be done, its legacy will surely live on. "I really look forward to the future," said Morgan, according to *Space.com*, "and what we can do with the offspring of Ingenuity." "We couldn't be prouder or happier with how our little baby has done," added Tzanetos. "It's been the mission of a lifetime for all of us." **More on Ingenuity:** [*NASA's Mars Helicopter Has Died*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()