Mars Helicopter Installed on Mars 2020 Rover

Engineers attached NASA's Mars Helicopter to the belly of the Mars 2020 rover on Aug. 27, 2019, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

The twin-rotor, solar-powered helicopter was mechanically connected, along with the Mars Helicopter Delivery System, to a plate on the rover's belly that includes a cover to shield the helicopter from debris during entry, descent and landing. The helicopter will remain encapsulated after landing, deploying to the surface once a suitable area to conduct test flights is found at Jezero Crater, the rover's destination.