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Ukrainian MarsHopper aircraft project developed by a team from Kyiv is the leader of NASA Space Apps Challenge 2016, according to Hromadske.tv
It is now competing for the people's choice award of this international competition. At the moment, MarsHopper ranks first, while the runner-up is a team from Macedonia.
"MarsHopper is an aircraft for exploration of Mars poles and the surrounding areas," the authors of the project said.
Read alsoThe Washington Post: A fight to protect 'the most valuable real estate in space'For its flights, the aircraft uses dry ice that covers the surface of Mars poles. It gathers it during landing, transforming it into gas using radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). Rapid energy release creates a jet thrust. The plane "hops" from landing to landing,justifying the name "hopper."