New Delhi, Feb. 9 -- They've taken to calling it "the little helicopter that could". For nearly three years, it could and did, charming plenty of aviation and other enthusiasts everywhere. As of a few weeks ago, it sits idle, an image of the shadow of its rotor the only indication of what's preventing its flight.

For what the shadow tells us is simple: One of the blades on the rotor has been damaged at the tip. This means it can no longer fly. No longer, sadly, is it the little helicopter that could. But 72 times, it could and did.

This is Ingenuity, the tiny helicopter that the National Air and Space Administration (Nasa) transported to Mars with its Perseverance rover, landing on our friendly neighbouring planet in February 2021. At f...