Skyfall: AeroVironment and JPL Unveil Ambitious Six-Helicopter Mars Scouting Concept
ARLINGTON, Va. – AeroVironment Inc.,in partnership with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL),has introduced Skyfall,a groundbreaking Mars exploration concept poised to revolutionize how we scout the Red Planet for future human missions.This ambitious initiative envisions deploying a swarm of six autonomous helicopters,a meaningful leap from the single-rotorcraft approach of the celebrated Ingenuity Mars Helicopter.
The primary purpose of Skyfall is to conduct extensive aerial reconnaissance,identifying optimal landing sites for the first human expeditions to Mars. These advanced rotorcraft will transmit high-resolution surface imagery and crucial subsurface radar data back to Earth. This data will be vital for scientists in pinpointing areas rich in water ice and other essential resources, critical for sustaining human life and operations on Mars.
A key innovation differentiating Skyfall from its predecessor is the introduction of the “Skyfall Maneuver.” This novel deployment technique allows the helicopters to be released from their entry capsule during atmospheric descent. Once free, they will autonomously navigate to the Martian surface, eliminating the need for a complex and costly dedicated landing platform – a significant hurdle in previous Mars missions.
“skyfall offers a revolutionary new approach to Mars exploration that is faster and more affordable than anything that’s come before it,” stated William Pomerantz, head of space ventures at AeroVironment. “With six helicopters, Skyfall multiplies the range, data collection, and research we can conduct.”
The Skyfall concept builds directly upon the success of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, a joint venture between AeroVironment and JPL.Ingenuity’s remarkable 72 flights over three years not only far exceeded its initial mission objectives but also definitively proved the viability of powered flight on another planet.
JPL intends to transfer key Ingenuity technologies, including its elegant avionics, flight software, and modeling systems, to AeroVironment for the Skyfall mission. Trace Stevenson, President of Autonomous Systems at AeroVironment, highlighted the dual benefits of the new mission, stating it could support both future crewed exploration and vital planetary science research.
Skyfall is an integral part of AeroVironment’s broader AV_Space portfolio, which encompasses advanced satellite communications, laser data links, and phased array ground systems for robust command and control. With a potential launch targeted for 2028, Skyfall represents a significant stride towards enabling humanity’s next giant leap.
