Teddy Tzanetos, project manager for NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, addresses members of the team during their final shift at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 16, 2024. The team for the first aircraft on another world gathered to review a transmission that confirmed the operation of a software patch allowing Ingenuity to act as a stationary testbed and collect data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet. Originally designed as short-lived technology demonstration mission that would perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, flew more than 14 times farther than planned, and logged more than two hours of total flight time. Its 72nd and final flight was Jan. 18, 2024. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26316

Ingenuity team lead Josh Anderson celebrates with Perseverance rover deputy project manager Steve Lee during the final shift for engineers working on NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 16, 2024. The team for the first aircraft on another world gathered to review a transmission that confirmed a software patch allowing Ingenuity to act as a stationary testbed and collect data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet. Originally designed as short-lived technology demonstration mission that would perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, flew more than 14 times farther than planned, and logged more than two hours of total flight time. Its 72nd and final flight was Jan. 18, 2024. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26317

The left wing of NASA's Altair unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) rests in a jig during construction at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., (GA-ASI) facility at Adelanto, Calif.

Technician Shawn Warren carefully smoothes out the composite skin of an instrument fairing<br>atop the upper fuselage of the Altair unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., facility at Adelanto, Calif.

Ingenuity team lead Josh Anderson (seated left) and project manager Teddy Tzanetos (seated center) react during during the final shift for engineers working on NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 16, 2024. The team gathered to review a transmission from the helicopter that confirmed the operation of a software patch allowing Ingenuity to act as a stationary testbed and collect data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet. Originally designed as short-lived technology demonstration mission that would perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, flew more than 14 times farther than planned, and logged more than two hours of total flight time. Its 72nd and final flight was Jan. 18, 2024. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26315

The Ingenuity team celebrates during their final shift working on NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 16, 2024. The team gathered to review a transmission from the helicopter that confirmed the operation of a software patch allowing Ingenuity to act as a stationary testbed and collect data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet. Originally designed as short-lived technology demonstration mission that would perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, flew more than 14 times farther than planned, and logged more than two hours of total flight time. Its 72nd and final flight was Jan. 18, 2024. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26319

Engineers working on NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter gathered together in a control room for one last time to monitor a transmission from the history-making helicopter at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 16, 2024. The transmission confirmed the operation of a software patch that will allow Ingenuity to act as a stationary testbed and collect data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet. Originally designed as short-lived technology demonstration mission that would perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, the first aircraft on another world operated from the Martian surface for almost three years, flew more than 14 times farther than planned, and logged more than two hours of total flight time. Its 72nd and final flight was Jan. 18, 2024. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26318