Debris Field From Perseverance Landing Gear Seen by Mars Helicopter

This image of NASA’s Perseverance rover backshell (left of center), supersonic parachute (far right), and associated debris was collected from an altitude of 26 feet (8 meters) by the agency’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter during its 26^th flight on Mars on April 19, 2022.

During the Feb. 18, 2021, landing of Perseverance, the parachute and backshell were jettisoned at about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) altitude. The parachute and backshell continued to descend and impacted the ground at approximately 78 mph (126 kph). Engineers working on the Mars Sample Return program requested images be taken from an aerial perspective of the components because they may provide insight into the components’ performance during the rover’s entry, descent, and landing.

The image has been cropped and processed from the original version.

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which also manages the project for NASA Headquarters. It is supported by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, provided significant flight performance analysis and technical assistance during Ingenuity's development. AeroVironment Inc., Qualcomm, and SolAero also provided design assistance and major vehicle components. Lockheed Martin Space designed and manufactured the Mars Helicopter Delivery System.