NASA's Mars helicopter is set to take history-making flight Monday. Here's how to watch it

This March 21, 2021 photo made available by NASA shows the released debris shield, center, for the Ingenuity helicopter, dropped on the surface of Mars from the bottom of the Perseverance rover. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS via AP)

by: Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Apr 18, 2021 / 09:30 PM EDT

Updated: Apr 18, 2021 / 04:04 PM EDT

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(NEXSTAR) — After six years of development, the first aircraft to take flight on another planet will set sail from Mars early Monday morning.

NASA’s helicopter, called Ingenuity, will take off at 3:15 a.m. PST.

#MarsHelicopter, you are cleared for takeoff. Flight commands are being sent.

Watch live on Monday, April 19 at 3:15am PT (6:15am ET/1015 GMT) as the team finds out if they've made history by achieving the first powered flight on another planet. https://t.co/SCVeYsIfBh
— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) April 18, 2021

You can watch the epic flight from NASA Television, the NASA app and the agency’s website. NASA will also livestream on multiple agency social media platforms, including the JPL YouTube and Facebook channels.

Ingenuity arrived at Mars’ Jezero Crater on Feb. 18. It was attached to the underside of NASA’s Perseverance rover.

The Mars rover will provide extra support during the flight operation and will take images while collecting environmental data. The rover also hosts the base station that “enables the helicopter to communicate with mission controllers on Earth,” NASA said.

The helicopter was initially set to take off on April 11, but the flight was delayed due to a timing glitch in the helicopter’s systems.