Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab Make a Breakthrough in Rotor Technology

Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab make a breakthrough in rotor technology

Testing shows rotor blades won't disintegrate when they spin at supersonic speed.

Next-gen Mars helicopter rotor blades exceed Mach 1

The rotor blades that will carry NASA's next-generation helicopters to new Martian heights broke the sound barrier during March tests at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Data from the tests, which took place in a special chamber that can simulate environmental conditions on the Red Planet, indicate that the fastest traveling part of the rotor blade, the tips, can be accelerated beyond Mach 1 without breaking apart. Data ga

NASA’s Next-Gen Mars Helicopter Blades Break Sound Barrier in Record Test

Ingenuity's little-helicopter-that-could proved that flight on another planet isn't just a one trick pony, but something that can be expanded upon. Enter NASA's next-generation Mars helicopter blades that have passed Mach 1 in ground tests, which could mean that future rotorcraft can carry more cargo and fly further, faster, and higher in

Testing the Next Generation of Mars Helicopter Rotor Blades

Testing the Next Generation of Mars Helicopter Rotor Blades | NASA/JPLNASA is pushing the limits of flight on Mars—by spinning helicopter rotor blades so fast, they are breaking the sound barrier. During recent tests at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, engineers accelerated the tips of next-generation rotor blades beyond Mach 1 inside a special chamber that simulates the atmospheric conditions of the Red Planet.The faster a Mars helicopter’s ro…

NASA Sends Mars Helicopter Blades Beyond Mach 1 - NASA Science

1 Min Read NASA Sends Mars Helicopter Blades Beyond Mach 1 PIA26649 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal NASA Sends Mars Helicopter… Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About   Downloads NASA Sends Mars Helicopter Blades Beyond Mach 1 JPEG (1.38 MB) Description Engineer Fernando Mier-Hicks inspects a test stand used …