Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Ahmad Awais, an engineer from Pakistan, has been internationally recognised for his expert contributions in mankind’s first-ever attempt at controlled flight on the surface of Mars.
He contributed code to the software for the Mars 2020 helicopter mission, also known as NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter. Last month, the helicopter became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet.
The Ingenuity team at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California confirmed the flight succeeded after receiving data from the helicopter via NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover. Awais, who has so far not been appreciated by the government officials, has been recognised by the US Embassy in Islamabad.
“Pakistani developers are truly making their mark in the world. #DidYouKnow Ahmad Awais (@MrAhmadAwais), a Pakistani award-winning open-source engineer, contributed code to the software for the Mars 2020 helicopter mission, also known as NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter?,” read a message on US Embassy Islamabad’s official Twitter account.
