Technologies

NASA postpones Mars helicopter’s 14th flight after anomaly

Ingenuity will wait out the quiet period during the Mars solar conjunction before it takes another shot at flying.

This story is part of Welcome to Mars, our series exploring the red planet.

NASA’s overachieving Mars helicopter Ingenuity is taking a short break before it attempts its next flight. The rotorcraft had been scheduled for a brief hovering exercise on Sept. 18. «It turned out to be an uneventful flight, because Ingenuity decided to not take off,» said Jaakko Karras, deputy operations lead, in a status update this week.

Ingenuity’s failure to fly was a good thing. The chopper detected an anomaly in two flight-control servo motors while it was running a routine preflight check of its systems.

The flight cancellation means Ingenuity won’t try to take off again until sometime past mid-October. The reason for the extended delay is Mars solar conjunction, a time when Earth and Mars are opposite each other with the sun in between. That can cause communications problems between Earth and our robotic explorers at and around the red planet. NASA will pause the sending of commands between Oct. 2 and Oct. 16.

Ingenuity is facing a challenging time on Mars as the seasons change, and it needs to make some adjustments in how it flies, thanks to a decrease in atmospheric density. The rotorcraft successfully completed a high-speed spin test to see if it’ll be able to compensate for the changes, and that test went just fine. The next step was to try a hover, which was when the anomaly occurred.

The Ingenuity team is doing some troubleshooting. Karras suggested that moving parts might be showing some signs of wear since the rotorcraft has flown a lot more times than originally planned, but there are various possible explanations for the anomaly.

Ingenuity already overcame a technical glitch and has thrived in the challenging conditions on Mars. Said Karras, «We have a number of tools available for working through the anomaly and we’re optimistic that we’ll get past it and back to flying again soon.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im