The Little Helicopter that Could

NASA's helicopter on Mars Ingenuity deserves a much better name in my opinion. This is the little helicopter that could after all. When it was launched to Mars last year it was unknown if it would even work with how thin NASA's atmosphere is. Not only did it fly but it was planned for 5 flights each pushing it to the limits more and more. NASA fully believed it would end up crashing during one of the last three tests yet this sucker continued to keep on going!

Now though with NASA focusing back on its newest rover, the helicopter is gearing up for its 5th and most daring flight. NASA is sending it to explore new terrains that rovers have not been able to access. They are doing this in hopes of gathering important data for future missions to Mars that will involve updated and upgraded helicopters. This 6th flight is the hardest yet and is to occur within the next few days. With how well this sucker has done I would not be surprised to hear it ace this test again. Quite frankly it only seems that the thing that could defeat this helicopter is what has doomed many rovers..... the dust storms that not only cover things in very fine dust but also have incredibly strong winds that would send the poor little 4-pound helicopter flying away. 

NASA's Newest Plane?

Next year NASA will join in on the test for the next Concorde airplane. Currently called the X-59 this plane is designed to reduce and more or less eliminate the sonic boom that these planes face when breaking the sound barrier. NASA hopes that this plane will lower its boom to nothing more than a gentle thump. 

Even crazier is that this plane it turns out is so far long that they are going to test this plane over populated areas and then survey people that live there to see how it was to them. Currently, it is not being released where it will be tested and what populations will be subject to the tests. However, it could finally break the issue that has hampered supersonic travel. Flying supersonic airplanes has been banned in the US overland due to the sonic booms they create and the destruction that those booms cause. Being able to get rid of the booms could then unlock a huge new market for these plans traveling from LA to NY in much less time than it currently takes. These planes could also be huge in Europe linking it to Asia and vice versa!