Dr. James W. Ashley

The Ingenuity Helicopter was the first aircraft ever to fly on another world. It is the reason the first flight location on Mars is named Wright Brothers Field. Billed originally as a ‘tech demo’ to find out if such a craft could actually lift off in the thin martian atmosphere, it had a maximum of 5 flights in its original set of objectives. Now after 72 successful flights and a transition from tech demo to scientific asset, the Ingenuity Rotorcraft has a special place in aviation history, and has paved the way for future generations of helicopters on other worlds in the Solar System.

Dr. Ashley was a Downlink and Campaign Implementation Lead for Ingenuity, one of only a small group of scientists to work alongside the engineers on the helicopter, and will outline the challenges and thrills of flight on another world.

• We will relive the encouraging feeling of being present at the dawn of a new era in aviation.
• We will experience the inspiration that comes through ‘daring mighty things'.
• We will look to the future and imagine the opportunities as we explore together.