NASA's success in flying the Ingenuity mini helicopter on Mars seems to have inspired China. The Bamboo Curtain country is currently developing a prototype mini helicopter that will be used to explore Mars.
This helicopter was developed by the National Space Science Center (NSSC). From the photos uploaded on the NSSC website, the shape of the Mars helicopter made in China looks similar to Ingenuity.
This mini helicopter named 'Mars cruise drone' is seen to have two propeller blades, four legs, and science instruments such as cameras and sensors. One thing that distinguishes this helicopter from Ingenuity is the absence of a solar panel at the top.
Currently the Chinese-made Mars helicopter has passed the last acceptance review since August 20, and is likely to continue into the next development process.
The NSSC said the helicopter would help China explore Mars on future exploratory missions, but they did not share details about the launch schedule. The helicopter is equipped with a spectrometer to survey the surface of Mars from a height and study the geology of the Red Planet.
It is not known why China decided to copy Ingenuity's design for its Mars helicopter. Maybe because NASA has proven that this design has succeeded in bringing Ingenuity to space in the very thin atmosphere of Mars.
Ingenuity is the first motorized vehicle to fly on a planet other than Earth. Until now the helicopter weighing 1.8 kg has flown 10 times and reached a height of three meters from the surface.
The development of this Mars helicopter will certainly strengthen China's dream to master space. China's first mission to Mars was Tianwen-1, which successfully orbited the Red Planet in February this year.
This achievement was followed by the landing of the Zhurong rover in May 2021. In order to overtake NASA and the United States, China also has ambitions to launch its first manned mission to Mars in 2033.
