How to Explore a Planet? You Need to be Airborne! #poem #poetry #NASA #MAR2020 #drone

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NASA concept of a helicopter on Mars

Small

Autonomous

Rotorcraft,

About to leave for Mars.

No, it cannot fly through space.

It hitchhikes for the ride.

Once its rover host touches down

And backs off quite a ways

To relay commands from the Earth,

To test it makes the grade.

Can solar cells keep it charged

And keep it warm at night?

Can it rise three meters high

On a ninety second flight?

Then we’ll have a helicopter

On another world.

As thrilling

A capability

As any that I’ve heard.

Kate Rauner

It may seem like a small step, but Mars’ atmosphere is like flying 100,000 ft above Earth’s surface, about three times the height of commercial airplanes. Many outlets cover this element of the Mars 2020 mission, including