"NASA Bids Farewell to Ingenuity: The End of Mars Helicopter Mission"

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter on Mars is officially dead after nearly 3 years, having exceeded its initial expectations by completing 72 flight missions instead of the planned 5. The helicopter, which was the first to fly on another planet, suffered a broken rotor blade, rendering it unable to fly. Despite its demise, Ingenuity's accomplishments far surpassed NASA's goals, serving as an aerial scout for the Perseverance rover and covering 10.5 miles in total. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed gratitude for Ingenuity's contributions while acknowledging the bittersweet end to its mission.