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NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is advancing its Mars exploration efforts with SkyFall, a mission featuring three helicopters designed to gather subsurface radar data and near-infrared imagery. The helicopters will use large antennas to emit green frequency waves for subsurface scans and red beams to analyze surface features like regolith. Each of the three SkyFall helicopters will carry four scientific instruments, expanding on the capabilities demonstrated by the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which completed 72 flights over nearly three years.

The SkyFall project is scheduled to launch aboard NASA’s Space Reactor-1 Freedom in late 2028, with the helicopters arriving on Mars in December 2028. The mission will be managed by JPL, which also led the development of the Ingenuity helicopter in collaboration with AeroVironment of Arlington, Virginia. AeroVironment will co-design and co-manufacture the SkyFall helicopters, continuing its role from the Ingenuity project.

SkyFall aims to enhance NASA’s ability to explore Mars by providing an aerial perspective to complement ground-based rovers like Perseverance. The helicopters will help identify scientifically valuable locations and plan efficient routes for rover operations, reducing time spent on navigation and increasing data collection efficiency.

Managed by Caltech for NASA, JPL oversees the overall Mars Exploration Program on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The SkyFall mission represents a next step in Mars exploration, leveraging proven flight technology to gather new types of data from the planet’s surface and subsurface.