NASA's Mars Helicopter Is Set To Take Flight This Weekend & Here's What To Expect

NASA is looking to make history yet again this weekend with the first flight of its Mars helicopter "Ingenuity."

The flight is currently scheduled to occur on Sunday, April 11, at around 10:54 p.m. EST, and NASA TV will be airing live coverage as the team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in southern California receives flight data at around 3:30 a.m. EST.

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"While Ingenuity carries no science instruments, the little helicopter is already making its presence felt across the world, as future leaders follow its progress toward an unprecedented first flight," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters.

The helicopter will be attempting to fly just 10 feet in the air for 30 seconds, which sounds simple but is actually quite difficult due to the Red Planet's low-pressure atmosphere. 

NASA is hopeful that the helicopter's success could pave the way for more advanced flying vehicles that may assist in future robotic or human missions to Mars.