Tribute to first flight.

in swatch •  2 years ago 

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This is the underside of the photovoltaic panel on the Ingenuity helicopter, currently on Mars and having recently completed its 50th flight there.

Near the center of the photo, you can see some dark orange tape wrapped around a bit of cloth. Wire ties are wrapped around it, holding it in place, with a grey dot of epoxy at their center to provide a little extra security against vibration.

That piece of cloth is a small swatch of muslin from the lower-left wing of the 1903 Wright Flyer, the first heavier than air aircraft ever flown by man.

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