NASA's little helicopter on Mars, "Ingenuity," has taken its last flight, the US space agency announced on Thursday.

"It is bittersweet that I must announce that Ingenuity, the 'little helicopter that could' — and it kept saying, 'I think I can, I think I can' — well, it has now taken its last flight on Mars," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.

First aircraft on another planet

Ingenuity is a small helicopter that became the first aircraft to achieve powered flight on another planet, in 2021.

The mission was intended to last 30 days to see whether it would be possible to make five short flights.

However, Ingenuity went on to take 72 flights around the red planet over almost three years.

It covered 14 times as much ground as originally planned.

Surpassing all expectations

During Ingenuity's most recent flight on January 18, the helicopter had to make an "emergency landing" after it lost contact with the Perseverance rover.

NASA engineers were able to restore contact the next day, but the shadows cast by the helicopter's blades in new photos appeared to show damage.

Now, engineers will run final tests on Ingenuity and download the remaining images from its onboard computer. Perseverance is currently too far away to photograph Ingenuity's final resting site, NASA said.

"While we knew this day was inevitable, it doesn't make it any easier" to announce the end of the mission, said NASA's Lori Glaze.

"It's almost an understatement to say that it has surpassed expectations."

zc/sri (AP, Reuters)