Space.com on MSN

Watch NASA's new Mars helicopter rotor break the speed of sound (video)

NASA is testing the limits of future Mars aircraft as it works to develop a next-generation fleet of helicopters that will ...
Hosted on MSN

NASA's next-gen Mars helicopter rotors have broken the sound barrier in tests

When a helicopter's rotor blades approach the speed of sound, things can get a little dicey. Above about Mach 0.8, shock waves, drag, unstable flow, and turbulence can create significant stresses that ...

NASA’s Mars helicopter blades broke the sound barrier without disintegrating, and JPL may have unlocked the next leap in alien flight

NASA engineers spun next-gen Mars helicopter blades past Mach 1 without shattering them. See how JPL unlocked the future of ...
Hosted on MSN

Why Do Helicopters Make That Iconic Thumping Sound When They're Flying?

Helicopters have one of the most recognizable sounds in aviation. The signature "whop whop" or deep thumping sound announces its arrival long before it appears in the sky. It's a sound so iconic, it's ...
TechSpot

NASA's next Mars helicopters tested beyond the speed of sound

Martian Flying Objects: After successfully testing the first extraterrestrial flying object with Ingenuity, NASA is now looking ahead to the next phase of its Mars flight activities. The space agency ...