Mars helicopter sends final message, but will keep collecting data

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter concluded its mission on Tuesday, sending a final signal in its role as a companion to the Perseverance Rover.

The copter's last message named those who worked on the mission (a list was uploaded in advance) and also confirmed that a recent software patch installed successfully.

The patch means Ingenuity is now set up for ops as a "stationary testbed." In that role the craft will wake up daily, activate its flight computers, and test the performance of its solar panel, batteries, and electronic equipment. It will also take a picture of the Martian surface with its color camera.

That data will remain stored on Ingenuity, which relies on radio contact with Perseverance to contact Earth. Perseverance is still trundling across Mars and will one day pass beyond radio range and become unable to contact its flying companion.

It's hoped that the cache ...