50 flights on Mars! Ingenuity helicopter's record-setting hop is a giant leap for exploration

small helicopter sits in front of ridge with numerous martian rocks on it. peach sky and hills are far in behind

NASA's incredible Mars helicopter has now flown 50 times on the Red Planet.

Originally rated for just five Martian sorties, Ingenuity notched its 50th on Thursday (April 13), acing a 146-second flight that took it 59 feet (18 meters) above the Red Planet's surface — higher than it's ever gone before.