NASA said that the solar-powered helicopter first became airborne at 3:34 a.m. EDT, as that was determined to be the optimal time for flight conditions. Ingenuity climbed to a maximum altitude of 10 feet and hovered for approximately 30 seconds before descending. The flight marked a huge step towards better understanding the Red Planet and its conditions. The planet has only one-third the gravity of Earth and an extremely thin atmosphere, making flying an aircraft an especially challenging task. The helicopter was created using unique components and commercial parts that were tested in deep space for the first time.
