NASA powers up first Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, as it travels through space

NASA already has some good news to share about its Mars Ingenuity helicopter, the high-risk, high-reward experiment that's destined for a date with the red planet. Ingenuity launched as part of the Mars 2020 mission in July.

The small helicopter, which is currently zipping through space tucked into the belly of the Perseverance rover, is alive and well. NASA announced on Thursday that it had successfully recharged the helicopter on Aug. 7 while in mid-spaceflight.

"This marks the first time the helicopter has been powered up and its batteries have been charged in the space environment," the agency said.