NASA's Nighthawk: A new chapter in the Mars helicopter mission that will scan for proof of life

NASA attempts to step ahead in the space exploration game with its innovative Nighthawk Mars helicopter. This SUV-sized Mars Chopper will have six rotors, each with six blades, to soar through the Martian atmosphere, according to Space.com. The cutting-edge craft follows the success of NASA’s Ingenuity, which completed 72 flights on the red planet. The new chopper will be studying the Eastern Noctis Labyrinthus, an area with interesting geological features. Papers on the chopper were presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Woodlands, Texas, which took place from March 10 to March 14.

The Nighthawk will not need support from the Perseverance rover, like Ingenuity, and will fly across deep canyons, dune fields, and lava. The target region is a transition between the canyon system of Valles Marineris and the volcanic plateau of Tharsis. It will observe possible biomarkers and aid with the future human exploration of the planet. This region is part of the proposed Noctis Landing — the site for the first crewed touchdown in the future. The chopper will categorize the evolution of water and the history of volcanic features, alongside the large amount of glacier ice in the area.

The Nighthawk mission is pioneered by a team of researchers led by Pascal Lee of the SETI Institute. The device will function independently and work with the advanced capabilities of the upcoming Mars Chopper drone, as per Daily Galaxy. “Nighthawk’s science mission would not be achievable with an Ingenuity-class helicopter, but could be accomplished with the larger, more capable NASA Mars Chopper currently under design,” the researchers mentioned. The Nighthawk’s optimization will allow it to endure the thinner atmosphere of Mars compared to Earth.

The chopper will carry three state-of-the-art scientific payloads that will assist with analysis on the surface. It will carry the color camera system for navigation and geological aid called OCCAM (Omni-directional Color CAMera system), a spectrometer and camera to analyze the surface and mineral compositions, called NIRAC, and PMWS (Puli Mars Water Snooper) — a neutron detector to map subsurface water. The mission blueprint suggests that Nighthawk can fly to an altitude of 4,920 feet above the surface and cover a distance of around 1.86 miles per flight. It is expected to complete 100 flights in 240 Martian days.

“The Mars Chopper’s expected flight range, flight altitude AGL (above ground level), and payload capacity would allow Nighthawk to accomplish its vast range of science,” the team concluded. Nighthawk can also assist with in-situ resource utilization, wherein local materials from Mars can be used to support human life and functions, as per Vocal Media. Knowing where to find water and the required minerals will be essential for long-term missions. NASA’s Nighthawk project will be “a scout, a scientist, and a pathfinder for future missions.”

The project is much more than an exemplified drone and represents an integral evolution in interplanetary exploration. This Mars explorer will be able to reach locations that were never explored before, along with an array of instruments to assist it. Despite maximum efforts to push the chopper into the limelight, there is no hint about when the Mars Chopper will enter a selection phase, as per Space.com. However, given the excitement around increased scientific exploration of Mars, the chances of Nighthawk getting its debut are much higher than it currently seems.