NASA readies trio of SkyFall helicopters for Mars mission in 2028

NASA’s upcoming SkyFall mission will transport three autonomous helicopters to Mars, targeting a December 2028 arrival. The craft will be launched on the Space Reactor-1 Freedom system and are equipped with four payloads each, including subsurface radar antennas that emit green frequency waves and near-infrared sensors that project red beams to study the planet’s crust. This effort builds on the success of the Ingenuity rotorcraft, which completed 72 flights over nearly three years and provided aerial data that aided the Perseverance rover’s navigation and science site selection.

AeroVironment of Arlington, Virginia, the original Ingenuity partner, will co-design and co-manufacture the SkyFall helicopters alongside JPL, which oversees the Mars Exploration Program for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The project is managed by JPL under Caltech’s administration. The helicopters aim to deliver high-resolution subsurface and surface observations that could enhance future Mars exploration strategies.