NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter recently captured images of the gear that helped the Perseverance rover land on Mars.

PASADENA, Calif. - Before humans make it to Mars, NASA will send a helicopter to scope out the terrain. Engineers attached a helicopter to the Mars 2020 rover ahead of its launch next summer. And if it flies successfully, it'll be the first aircraft to fly on another planet, NASA said. The solar-powered Mars Helicopter will be safely stowed underneath the rover until it lands at the Jezero Crater, where scientists believe water once flowed. The craft will detach from the rover and explore Mars from the air while the rover collects samples on the ground, NASA said.