NASA pushes Mars helicopter rotors past the speed of sound for the first time ever — next-gen “SkyFall” aircraft's rotors hit 3,750 RPM, ten times faster than normal helicopters

NASA and AeroVironment tested two Mars helicopter rotor designs in JPL’s simulated Mars chamber.

The rotors reached up to 3,750 rpm and blade-tip speeds above Mach 1, the first supersonic rotor test for a Mars helicopter.

The results clear a major hurdle for Project SkyFall, which aims to land and fly a helicopter on Mars with a sky crane.

Stronger rotor systems could enable larger Mars helicopters to carry science instruments and expand future exploration.