Lighter-Than-Air vehicle on Mars

Mar 6, 2021
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Thinking about Ingenuity, does anyone know why NASA preferred to test a rotorcraft first, rather than an LTA (Lighter-Than-Air) vehicle?
 
Thinking about Ingenuity, does anyone know why NASA preferred to test a rotorcraft first, rather than an LTA (Lighter-Than-Air) vehicle?
My guess is that Martian winds are too problematic. Surface winds can reach up to 60 mph. The thin atm. takes a lot of punch from those winds, but any air device will be lightweight, as well.

Nevertheless, perhaps a hybrid blimp-copter would make sense for future heavier loads because hydrogen would work just fine on Mars, vs. helium used on Earth.
 
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