NASA has two different ideas for what could follow Ingenuity: JPL’s early Mars Chopper concept and SkyFall, a planned mission of three smaller helicopters. Mars Chopper is the larger proposed aircraft, but it has no announced flight date. SkyFall is the nearer-term plan, with launch targeted for late 2028 and a landing planned for fall 2030.
What is NASA’s Mars Chopper?
Mars Chopper is a JPL concept for a larger, more capable successor to Ingenuity. In a concept description published Dec. 11, 2024, NASA/JPL depicted an SUV-sized aircraft with six rotors, each carrying six blades. The concept could carry up to 11 pounds (5 kilograms) of science payload and travel up to 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) per Martian day, or sol. NASA/JPL’s Mars Chopper concept was developed with NASA Ames and AeroVironment.
Those figures describe proposed capabilities, not a vehicle already built or cleared to fly. JPL says Mars Chopper remains in early conceptual and design stages. No flight approval or launch date has been announced.
Is Mars Chopper the same as SkyFall?
No. Mars Chopper is a single proposed six-rotor vehicle; SkyFall is a distinct planned mission using three helicopters evolved from Ingenuity’s design. NASA’s SkyFall plan targets launch in late 2028 and a landing in fall 2030, after a 2029 cruise and flyby phase. NASA has not yet identified the landing site, and the schedule is a plan rather than a completed launch commitment. NASA Science’s SkyFall mission page describes the mission and its objectives.
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| Comparison | Mars Chopper | SkyFall |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Early concept and design stage, per NASA/JPL’s Dec. 11, 2024 description | Named NASA mission with a planned schedule, per NASA Science |
| Aircraft | One proposed six-rotor aircraft; each rotor has six blades | Three Ingenuity-derived helicopters |
| Payload and instruments | Proposed capacity up to 11 pounds (5 kilograms) of science payload | Planned visible and near-infrared cameras, ground-penetrating radar, temperature and wind sensors, and radiation monitoring |
| Deployment | Not established in the cited concept description | Planned mid-air deployment, avoiding the need for a conventional lander |
| Communications | Not stated in the cited concept description | Not stated on NASA Science’s mission page |
| Science focus | Concept description emphasizes the aircraft’s proposed capability; a specific mission science plan is not stated | Map subsurface ice, measure weather, investigate geology, and scout potential landing sites for future astronauts |
| Schedule | No flight date announced | Launch targeted for late 2028; landing planned for fall 2030 |
What will SkyFall’s helicopters do?
SkyFall’s planned instruments and objectives make it a science mission, not simply a demonstration of powered flight. NASA says the three aircraft are intended to map subsurface ice, collect weather measurements, investigate geology, and scout possible landing sites for future astronauts. Ground-penetrating radar can help examine what lies below the surface, while cameras and environmental sensors contribute imagery and local conditions.
NASA says AeroVironment will co-design and co-manufacture SkyFall with JPL. The company previously helped build Ingenuity. The mid-air deployment approach is intended to release the helicopters without relying on a conventional lander.
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How Ingenuity changed the case for Mars aircraft
Ingenuity was designed for up to five flights as a technology demonstration. It ultimately flew 72 times over two and a half years, according to NASA’s SkyFall mission page. That record demonstrated that powered flight could work in Mars’s thin atmosphere, but it does not mean the proposed Chopper or SkyFall aircraft have already flown.
Why are NASA’s next Mars helicopter rotors being tested at high speed?
Mars’s atmosphere is thin, so a rotorcraft needs to move its blades quickly to generate lift. NASA/JPL reported 137 rotor test runs in simulated Mars conditions, reaching a blade-tip speed of Mach 1.08 and a stated 30% increase in lift capability. These are rotor-test results, not proof that either Mars Chopper or SkyFall has completed flight testing on Mars. NASA/JPL’s 2026 rotor-test report describes the work.
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JPL aerodynamicist Shannah Withrow-Maser said the testing was “a major step toward proving the feasibility of flight in more demanding environments.” The work addresses an important engineering challenge, but it does not establish a flight date for Mars Chopper.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When will NASA’s next Mars helicopters fly?
For SkyFall, NASA’s current target is a late-2028 launch, followed by a planned fall-2030 landing. Mars Chopper has no announced flight schedule and remains a concept. The dates are NASA’s plans, not confirmation that either aircraft has launched or reached Mars.
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