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Mars Helicopter Telecom

The highly successful Ingenuity – Mars Helicopter – technology demonstration came to an end in January 2024 after 72 flights over 1000 sols (1.5 Mars years) exploring Mars.  The author led the telecommunications team for Ingenuity from conception through flight operations and describes it here.

Courtney Duncan retired from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory – California Institute of Technology in July 2021 shortly following the initial demonstration flights of the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity.

His 35-year career included support for space shuttle missions and experiments, GPS radio occultation technology from space, stellar interferometry, deep space navigation software, lunar gravity mapping, Deep Space Network transponders for deep space CubeSats, and finally, Ingenuity telecom.

Courtney has been a licensed radio amateur with since 1972, callsign N5BF, and has been involved in many aspects of the hobby from that time.  He is a past president of the San Bernardino Microwave Society, a past official of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, AMSAT-North America, and of the JPL Amateur Radio Club, and frequently gives talks on both the Mars Helicopter and on the profound value to society of avocations such as amateur radio.*

Courtney was married to Viann WD5EHM (SK) for 45 years and has three children, Viannah KG6GXW, Katherine KG6HUI, John KG6HCO, and two grandchildren.  He is also a classically trained pianist and is routinely involved in a variety of musical performances.

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