GoKawiilNASA bets on helicopter fleet as Mars landers, rovers stall
NASA currently has no confirmed new lander or rover missions to Mars, marking the first such gap in over three decades. Instead, the agency is prioritizing SkyFall, a trio of helicopters slated to launch as early as 2028 alongside the nuclear-powered Space Reactor-1 'Freedom' mission, which will test electric propulsion using the repurposed core of the canceled Gateway station. JPL is partnering with AeroVironment, the team behind the Ingenuity helicopter, to build the new aircraft, which will be slightly heavier and carry upgraded rotors.