NASA's Mars helicopter completes 50 flights

NASA's Mars helicopter has completed its 50th flight on the Red Planet, according to the agency, reported Xinhua.

The first aircraft on another world reached the half-century mark on Thursday, traveling over 322.2 meters in 145.7 seconds, according to NASA. The helicopter also achieved a new altitude record of 18 meters before alighting near the 800-meter-wide "Belva Crater," said NASA.

The helicopter, named Ingenuity, arrived at Mars' Jezero Crater on Feb. 18 of 2021, attached to the belly of NASA's Perseverance rover. The helicopter is a technology demonstration to test powered flight on another planet for the first time.

Ingenuity will soon mark the two-year anniversary of its first flight, which took place on April 19, 2021.

The helicopter was designed to fly for up to 90 seconds, to distances of almost 300 meters at a time and about 3 to 4.5 meters from the ground, according to NASA.