When NASA sent the little Ingenuity helicopter to Mars, the plan was modest. It was a test, designed to make up to five experimental flights over 30 days. Nobody knew whether a helicopter could even fly in the thin Martian air. Ingenuity became the first aircraft to fly on another world. Then it just kept going. It operated for almost three years, made 72 flights, and flew more than 14 times farther than planned. On January 18, 2024, during its 72nd flight, it had a rough landing that damaged its rotor blades, and the mission came to an end. A small machine meant for a short test did far more than anyone dreamed. Never despise small beginnings when God is in them.
