SkyFall Mars helicopters
Three Mars helicopters that would drop from their carrier spacecraft into the Martian air and land on their own, then scout for buried ice with radar. AV and NASA JPL are building them for a launch planned for late 2028.
Why it matters
Landing on Mars usually needs a heavy, expensive landing system. Dropping helicopters straight out of the entry vehicle skips that step, and three helicopters can cover far more ground than a rover. Mapping shallow ice helps pick safe, useful sites for future human landings.
How the technology works
In the planned SkyFall maneuver the helicopters are released from the carrier spacecraft during descent, deploy, and descend and land under their own power, with no lander or host rover. AV leads the rotors, airframes, structures, avionics integration and payload fit; JPL leads power, electronics, algorithms and software.
They carry a JPL-designed ground-penetrating radar to map subsurface ice and instruments that gather data on the Martian atmosphere and dust transport.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction