Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 19, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, March 19, 2022 9 Mountain View News Saturday, March 19, 2022 9 
NASA EXTENDS INGENUITY HELICOPTER 
MISSION ON MARS 


NASA announced Tuesday that the agency 
has extended flight operations of the Ingenuity 
Mars Helicopter through September. In the 
months ahead, history’s first aircraft to operate 
from the surface of another world will support 
the Perseverance rover’s upcoming science 
campaign exploring the ancient river delta of 
Jezero Crater. Along the way, it will continue 
testing its own capabilities to support the 
design of future Mars air vehicles.

 The announcement comes on the heels of the 
rotorcraft’s 21st successful flight, the first of at 
least three needed for the helicopter to cross 
the northwest portion of a region known as 
“Séítah” and reach its next staging area.

 “Less than a year ago we didn’t even know 
if powered, controlled flight of an aircraft at 
Mars was possible,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, 
the associate administrator of NASA’s 
Science Mission Directorate. “Now, we are 
looking forward to Ingenuity’s involvement 
in Perseverance’s second science campaign. 
Such a transformation of mindset in such a 
short period is simply amazing, and one of 
the most historic in the annals of air and space 
exploration.”

 Ingenuity’s new area of operations is entirely 
different from the modest, relatively flat terrain 
it has been flying over since its first flight last 
April. Several miles wide and formed by an 
ancient river, the fan-shaped delta rises more 
than 130 feet (40 meters) above the crater 
floor. Filled with jagged cliffs, angled surfaces, 
projecting boulders, and sand-filled pockets 
that could stop a rover in its tracks (or upend a 
helicopter upon landing), the delta promises to 
hold numerous geologic revelations – perhaps 
even the proof necessary to determine that 
microscopic life once existed on Mars billions 
of years ago.

 Upon reaching the delta, Ingenuity’s first 
orders will be to help determine which of two 
dry river channels Perseverance should take 
when it’s time to climb to the top of the delta. 
Along with routing assistance, data provided 
by the helicopter will help the Perseverance 
team assess potential science targets. Ingenuity 
may even be called upon to image geologic 
features too far afield (or outside of the rover’s 
traversable zone), or perhaps scout landing 
zones and caching sites for the Mars Sample 
Return program.

“The Jezero river delta campaign will be the 
biggest challenge the Ingenuity team faces 
since first flight at Mars,” said Teddy Tzanetos, 
Ingenuity team lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory in Southern California. “To enhance 
our chances of success, we have increased the 

size of our team and are making upgrades to 
our flight software geared toward improving 
operational flexibility and flight safety.” 
Higher Flights

 Several of these upgrades have led to reduced 
navigation errors during flight, which increases 
both flight and landing safety. A recent software 
change already on the rotorcraft frees Ingenuity 
from its previously programmed maximum 
altitude of 50 feet (15 meters). The altitude gains 
could result in incremental increases in both 
air speed and range. A second upgrade allows 
Ingenuity to change airspeed as it flies. Another 
enables it to better understand and adjust to 
changes in terrain texture during flight. Future 
software upgrades may include adding terrain 
elevation maps into the navigation filter and a 
landing-hazard-avoidance capability.

 Before aerial reconnaissance of the delta can 
begin, Ingenuity has to complete its journey to 
the area. Scheduled for no earlier than March 
19, Ingenuity’s next flight will be a complex 
journey, about 1,150 feet (350 meters) in 
length, that includes a sharp bend in its course 
to avoid a large hill. After that, the team will 
determine whether two or three more flights 
will be required to complete the crossing of 
northwest Séítah.

 The first experimental flight on another world 
took place on April 19, 2021, and lasted 39.1 
seconds. After another four flights, six more 
minutes in the air, and traveling a total distance 
of 1,637 feet (499 meters), NASA transitioned 
Ingenuity into an operations demonstration 
phase, testing its ability to provide an aerial 
dimension to the Perseverance mission. With 
the completion of Flight 21, the rotorcraft has 
logged over 38 minutes aloft and traveled 2.9 
miles (4.64 kilometers). As Ingenuity pushes 
farther into uncharted territory, these numbers 
will inevitably go up, and previous flight 
records will more than likely fall.

 “This upcoming flight will be my 22nd entry in 
our logbook,” said Ingenuity chief pilot Håvard 
Grip of JPL. “I remember thinking when this 
all started, we’d be lucky to have three entries 
and immensely fortunate to get five. Now, at 
the rate we’re going, I’m going to need a second 
book.”

 The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part 
of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, 
which includes Artemis missions to the Moon 
that will help prepare for human exploration of 
the Red Planet. 

For more information about Ingenuity visit: 
mars.nasa.gov/technology/helicopter. 

The Chef Knows By Peter Dills 
THE ANSWER IS YES 

In this part of the world the Smith Brothers 
are King, at least in the San Gabriel Valley. If 
you don’t know them, they own and operate 
some very classy restaurants, and have been 
doing so for quite some time. Parkway Grill, 
Smitty’s and Arroyo Chop House are on their 
current roster, and a few years back Parkway 
Grill was dubbed “the Spago of the East” in 
the Zagat guide. 


They must be doing something right and I think I have the answer – no, not like “what’s the 
secret of life” from the movie with Jack Palance playing Curly in City Slickers. It’s the service! 
Now, as the name suggests, the menu at Arroyo Chop House is all about the steak. According 
to the menu, it’s the only restaurant in the two Valleys that offers 100% Prime beef for 
all steaks on menu- big words with Arnie Mortons, Taylors and The Royce an earshot away. 

The menu features a Tomahawk so big that even after the beef is off the bone it’s still 30 
ounces. In addition, you’ll find traditional entrees such as filet mignon, rib eye and other 
steaks. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Every time. My visit was on a Sunday night and it 
was a birthday celebration (yes, for me the “Chopper” is a special occasion type of joint, not 
too big and as of this writing you can still eat outdoors). Anyway, since I’d just had a steak at 
a friend’s BBQ Friday night, I was pleased when our server mentioned the Chilean Sea Bass, 
so that’s what I eagerly ordered. I felt the sea bass needed another minute on the fire, and I always 
hesitate ordering seafood on a weekend for the reason of storage, but rest assured you’ll 
have no problems at a busy restaurant 

What else? We started off with bread and the BBQ shrimp salad - all good!! Asparagus and 
broccolini filled the appetizer dance card portion of the evening. 

The best part of the meal? It really was the service. Our server Christopher was absolute 
greatness. I believe its my second go-round with him -I never heard the word NO. Can we 
split a salad? Yes. No cheese? Absolutely! Sauce on the side? YES. The night was perfect! The 
champagne flutes were never empty, he gave us a heads up ordering dessert, and he gave us 
the specials of the night completely from memory. Flawless !! 

What to get? Many good choices you’ll be happy but make sure your server is Christopher!! 

Arroyo Chop House open for Dinner at 5 PM 
Full Bar 
Valet ParkingReservations are a must 
Expect $100+ per person 

COVID 19 Cases - It's Not Over Yet! 
WHERE WE ARE W/E 3/18/22 VERSUS LAST WEEK (3/12/22) 
Cases/Deaths are still occuring especially among the unvaccinated. 
Cases This Week ( 03/18/22) Deaths This Week (03/12/22) 
LA County 2,820,159 (2,808,409) 31,443 (31,178) 
LA COUNTY VACCINATIONS AS OF 03/18/2022 (Fully)
Adults 12+ 87.6% Seniors 99.1% 
(Last Week) Cases Deaths Fully Vaccinated 
Arcadia 7,914 (7,869) 164 (163) 90.5% 
Altadena 8257 (8208) 95 (94) 82.7% 
Bradbury 65 ( 64) 0 ( 0) 71.6% 
Duarte 5,129 (5,106) 119 (119) 84.0% 
Monrovia 8,179 (8,144) 101 (100) 81.0% 
Pasadena 27,943 (27,817) 408 (405) 85.4% 
Sierra Madre 1,504 (1497) 20 ( 20) 89.2% 
So.Pasadena 3,942 (3920) 60 ( 59) 94.3% 
LA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH: 
WORKPLACE SAFETY MEASURES PROTECT WORKERS AND 
CUSTOMERS 
A key priority post-surge is to ensure workers have protection from dev-
astating consequences associated with COVID-19 illness by preventing 
spread at worksites. 
Current metrics indicate that businesses and worksites are seeing fewer outbreaks. Since the 
start of the pandemic, there have been a total 2,641 workplace outbreaks (excluding health-
care, residential and educational sites). As of March 16, there were 53 active outbreaks, down 
from the week prior when there were 64 active outbreaks. Further, there were only two new 
outbreaks for the week ending March 16. 
This improvement reflects the lower rate of COVID-19 transmission in the community and 
a dedicated effort by many businesses and worksites to utilize strategies that protect workers 
and customers. 
As a reminder, employers are required to offer free medical grade masks and respirators (N95, 
KN95, KF94) to employees working indoors in close contact with other workers, customers, 
and/or members of the public at all sites where masking indoors is optional. At worksites 
where masking remains required, employers need to provide employees with free, well-fitting 
medical masks. 
Employers are also obligated to offer testing free of charge during work hours to any employee 
exposed to COVID-19 at work. 
In order to reduce transmission at worksites, employers are required to report any cluster of 
worksite COVID-19 cases to the Department of Public Health. A cluster is three (3) or more 
laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the worksite within a 14-day period. Reports to 
Public Health should be made as soon as possible and no later than 48 hours after reports or 
knowledge of at least three cases. Worksites can report a cluster to Public Health online or by 
phone: 1-888-397-3993. If Public Health determines that there is an outbreak at a worksite, 
employees are required to mask both indoors and outdoors if they can’t be socially distanced 
from each other, and during an outbreak, employees should be provided with free respirators. 
Given the need for employees to take time off if they have COVID-related illness or need to 
care for someone in their family, public and private employers with 26 or more employees are 
required by the 2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave, to provide covered employees 
with up to 80 hours of COVID-19 related paid leave. 
To date, most employers have followed public health guidance and implemented measures to 
protect their workers, customers, and visitors. However, workers concerned about possible 
COVID-19 or other workplace safety concerns, or that an employer may not be following the 
County Health Officer Order or other requirements, have several options for filing a com-
plaint. To file a complaint with Public Health, which can be submitted anonymously, workers 
can call the Environmental Health Customer Call Center at (888) 700-9995 or click on the 
“Report a Problem” at www.ph.lacounty.gov/eh. To file a complaint with Cal/OSHA about em-
ployee safety, workplace safety, or hazardous conditions, workers can call (833) 579-0927 or 
call or email the local Cal/OSHA Enforcement Office that serves the location of the job site. 
“While we are all enjoying having the surge behind us, many front-line workers, with dozens 
of worksite exposures each day, remain at higher risk and are worried about becoming in-
fected and possibly spreading COVID-19 to others. We ask that everyone continue to layer in, 
as appropriate, protections for our workforce members who have, throughout the pandemic, 
taken on personal risk to provide all of us with essential services. I encourage residents to help 
protect the thousands of front-line workers who are at elevated risk by supporting those busi-
nesses who properly protect their workers, said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director 
of Public Health” 
There are 471 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for 
more than 11,587,700 individuals, with 22% of people testing positive. 
A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Depart-
ment of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.
lacounty.gov 
STAY SAFE! GET VACCINATED! 

WEAR A MASK WHEN NECESSARY! 


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