We can safely say that Mars is the only planet of intergalactic expanses that attracts the increased attention of scientists around the world. And if earlier earthlings were engaged only in the study of the planet, then recently they have seriously thought about settling the "Red Star".

In the article we will tell you how long it takes to fly to Mars, what grandiose expedition is planned to land selected volunteers on the territory of the "Fiery Planet"? What obstacles can stand in the way of its implementation?

What is the distance between Mars and Earth

The Red Planet is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second farthest from Earth. On average, Mars and Earth are at a distance 225 million km from each other. However, this is a floating value that changes regularly. This is because the planets revolve around the sun. The closest "neighborhood" was observed in 2003. Then the planets were at a distance of 56 million km from each other.

It is interesting: the maximum possible distance between Mars and Earth is 401 million km.

Who first measured the distance

Modern tools of researchers are very accurate, but in the 17th century (or rather, in 1672 they were not). Therefore, Giovanni Cassini resorted to the so-called parallax method. To do this, he stayed in the capital of France, and his fellow scientist Jean Richard went to French Guiana. It is noteworthy that the accuracy of the measurement results carried out by scientists turned out to be only 7% less than the readings of modern equipment.

What is the best time to fly

Theoretically, the best time to plan a space flight to Mars is the period when it is at the point of the orbit of Perihelion, and the Earth is at the point of Aphelion. In this case, the distance between the objects of interest to us would be almost 55 million km. But these are just “calculations on paper”. After all, mankind has never managed to witness such an alignment of the planets.

How long does it take to fly to Mars: numbers and facts

If you don't have the patience to endure a half-hour drive to the nearest mall or amusement park, don't become an astronaut.

It is known that the automatic interplanetary station NASA New Horizons, which went to Pluto in 2006, is currently the fastest vehicle in the history of space flight. It is noteworthy that New Horizons left the Earth's orbit at a speed of 58 thousand km per hour.

Let's make simple calculations based on these data and find out how much this NASA interplanetary station would fly to Mars:

• with the so-called "opposition" (when Mars and the planet Earth are as close as possible to each other), the duration of the trip would be 39 days;
• with an average distance of about 162 days;
• and at the maximum distance of the planets from each other, a flight to Mars will take 289 days.

Attention: all calculations were made in a straight line and, of course, these are only theoretical calculations. It must be understood that neither Earth nor Mars stand still. It is impossible to send a rocket or other spacecraft from point A directly to point B (due to the fact that the planets are constantly moving in their orbits around the Sun). To hit the target, it is necessary to take into account the trajectory of the Red Planet. Otherwise, the mistake can be too costly.

List of major space missions

November 28, 1964 was a significant date in the history of flights to Mars. After all, it was on this day that the American spacecraft Mariner 4 NASA went to the "Red Planet". The unit arrived at the object of study on July 14, 1965. It was then that the first series of images of Mars was taken, consisting of 21 photos. It is noteworthy that the total flight time was 228 days.

No less successful was the flight of Mariner 6, which set off on February 25, 1969 to conquer the expanses of Mars. The duration of the trip was 156 days.

But the next spacecraft Mariner 7 needed 131 days to achieve the goal.

The duration of the flight of the Mariner 9 spacecraft, which successfully entered the orbit of Mars, was 167 days.

Viking 1 is the first spacecraft to land on the surface of the Red Planet. It happened in 1975, and the total duration of the flight is 304 days.

At a similar pace, exploration of Mars has been going on for the past 50 years. Every space journey takes from 150 to 350 days. For example, in 2006, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter flight took place, which lasted 210 days. And in 2008 Phoenix Lander returned to Earth in 295 days.

Is it possible to travel to Mars at the speed of light

Most likely, such a question visited you while reading the article. Recall that this value is 299,792 km per second or 1 billion kilometers per hour. And this means that the sun's rays reflected from the surface of Mars will reach our planet:

• with "opposition" - for 3 minutes;
• at an average distance - during 12.5-13 minutes;
• at the minimum approach - approx. 22 minutes.

Since there is no other limit to the speed at which earthlings can move, other than the speed of light, let's imagine that we still managed to bypass the problems associated with the construction of ultra-high-speed rockets and spaceships. However, in this case, we face a much more serious problem. The fact is that the human body, which consists mainly of water, is not ready for such serious tests of speed.

And even if humanity discovers a physical law capable of giving us such an acceleration, it is necessary to understand that we will have to quickly pick up speed, and just as quickly reduce it. And such fluctuations pose a mortal danger to the fragile human body. There may be: fainting, partial or complete loss of vision and other symptoms. Many of them are familiar to aircraft pilots. Moreover, even fatal cases are known when pilots crashed due to a black veil before their eyes or loss of consciousness.

How to get to the planet with minimal fuel consumption

The primary task facing engineers is not to reduce the time spent in intergalactic space, but to save fuel. NASA engineers have been following a method called the Hohmann trajectory for decades. This method implies the minimum fuel consumption. To begin with, engineers launch a rocket or satellite into solar orbit.

After some time, the orbit intersects with the orbit of the "Red Planet" and it finds itself at the desired point in its orbit. Of course, before the launch of the satellite, it is necessary to make serious calculations in order to correctly calculate the speed of Mars.

How to fly faster

Unfortunately, a 250-day flight poses a serious danger to astronauts. During the flight, they will be constantly exposed to background radiation. In addition, storms occur on the Sun. A similar phenomenon can kill all crew members in a matter of hours in outer space.

One solution that engineers see is the production of nuclear missiles. It is on such devices that the first people will go to Mars.

It is interesting: At the moment, some world-famous scientists believe that if you equip a spacecraft with a nuclear-powered engine, it will be possible to reduce the duration of a trip to Mars to 39 days.

At the moment, former astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz is developing another technology that will allow people to relatively quickly overcome the distance from Earth to Mars. If he manages to introduce variable-momentum magneto-plasma rockets, the space journey to the "Red Planet" will last 5 months.

How many years will it take for a man to set foot on Mars?

In 2013, it became known about the new Mars One project, which will launch the first spacecraft with passengers on board in 2026. And although about 200 thousand inhabitants expressed their desire to participate in such an important expedition for earthlings, after several qualifying rounds there will be no more than 20 of them. It is known that everything that happens on the territory of the planet, which is a lifeless desert, will be broadcast online.

Responsibility for the technical basis of the project rests with Lockheed. It was she who developed the lander for the NASA satellite that landed on Mars in 2008. It is known that in this case the flight to the fourth planet from the Sun will take 7-8 months.

It is interesting: about a quarter of the candidates who expressed a desire to go to Mars are Americans, residents of Russia and other CIS countries are only 4%.

Elon Musk's plans to populate the "Red Planet"

The head of the world famous company Tesla and SpaceX has similar plans. However, he stated that the first humans would land on Mars in 2024. His project is massive. After all, he set a serious task for the engineers - to build a spacecraft that can simultaneously accommodate 200 people and carry 450 tons of cargo.

Of course, the pioneers will have the great honor of becoming the first people to set foot on the surface of Mars. However, they should not be envied.

What difficulties await a manned expedition:

1. Experts believe that the most difficult for the crew members will be in the psychological sense. Unfortunately, the processes that occur in the central nervous system in the absence of contacts with close and dear people have not been studied so far.

   On a note: earlier in Russia, the Mars-500 project was carried out, during which six volunteers were trapped in a confined space for 500 days. Especially for the experiment, Russian scientists built a prototype spacecraft. As a result, many of the people were diagnosed with various sleep disorders and depression.

2. Representatives of the mission will need to constantly keep their body in good physical shape. The fact is that in space, muscles, bones, and even the cardiovascular system of the human body function differently. To support their work, you should exercise every day for 2-3 hours.
3. Many people who live as if on autopilot, thinking only about their pressing affairs and problems, do not even pay attention to what surrounds us: the sun's rays, clouds, stars in the night sky and ... fresh air. Unfortunately, the members of the space crew who will have the opportunity to visit Mars will be deprived of such happiness. The fact is that the atmosphere on the "Red Planet" is very rarefied (about 1% of the Earth's). More than 95% it consists of carbon dioxide with a small amount of oxygen.
4. It is known that before each mission to Mars, all rovers are thoroughly wiped and disinfected. Such measures are necessary to prevent terrestrial infection from reaching the surface of Mars. But if an astronaut becomes infected with an unknown disease on the Red Planet, unfortunately, we will not be able to take him back. Such a tough and even a little ruthless measure is necessary in order to prevent the development of an unprecedented infection and not provoke an outbreak on Earth. Alas, the sick astronaut is destined to die away from family and friends.
5. It is better for people who dream of offspring not to leave the Earth and not to go to Mars. Since scientists do not yet know how pregnancy and labor will proceed in Martian conditions. Are mutations possible?
6. Gravity hurts. It is known that on the territory of Mars gravity is two-thirds less than on Earth. A person gets used to everything - both good and bad. During the time of adaptation to Martian gravity, the process of atrophy of the muscular and skeletal systems will occur. Therefore, returning home - to the native Planet - will cause the crew members not only tears of joy, but also true physical torment.
7. Perhaps one of the most serious dangers that awaits the expedition of Mars is radiation. The fact is that there is no magnetic field on the “Red Planet”, so every time you enter its rusty brick surface, you will be exposed to radioactive radiation.

Now you know how far Mars is from our Planet, and how long it will take to get into orbit. Of course, due to the overpopulation of the Earth, humanity will be forced to look for new "promised lands" for its further existence. However, for now, an expedition to the Red Planet is being conducted to study the features of Mars and its differences from our habitat. Since the "Fire Star" to this day is a little-studied object of intergalactic expanses.

Mars The World That Wasn't

In the video you will learn about what hypotheses scientists are building about the origin of Mars. What was this cold and lifeless desert like before? Is there water there, and is the planet habitable?

From Earth to Mars in 4 minutes. 19 sec.

In this video you will see the flight of the rover to Mars. It landed on a lifeless planet exactly 229 days after launch. You will see a flight to Mars at the speed of light.

mars red planet

Humanity has known about Mars since the time of ancient civilizations. Even the ancient Chinese called the planet "Fire Star". But despite the fact that Mars has been studied for a long time and despite dozens of flying vehicles sent into its orbit, people have not managed to find out most of the secrets hiding "under the cover" of the Earth's space counterpart.

The first who did not think hard about how long it would take for a person to fly to Mars, but carried out a technical analysis of this possibility, back in 1948, was a scientist, one of the founders of modern rocket science. After him, the idea of ​​such a flight was considered by both the first space powers and private companies.

How many kilometers to fly to Mars from Earth

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and closest to Earth, after Venus. The mission to Venus is difficult due to its climatic conditions:

• huge atmospheric pressure;
• acid rain;
• heat.

We don't stand a chance there!

The climatic conditions of Mars are most suitable for visiting. The distance between the planets is microscopic by cosmic standards. But a person will have to fly a lot to Mars, tens or even hundreds of millions of kilometers.

The essence of how many kilometers to fly from the Earth depends largely on the specific trajectory - the route of the path. It usually takes the form of a "big arc" that elegantly connects the launch time on Earth with the destination. These arcs are many times longer than the rectilinear distance between two celestial objects at a given point in time.

Let's ask ourselves a question: - How long does it take to fly to Mars?

Let's assume that for our calculations we use a simple route in a straight line, where the distance is minimal.

Based on the fact that the planets in the solar system revolve around the Sun, each in its own elliptical orbit, with its own unique speed, and the distance between two planetary objects will constantly change. Scientists managed to find out the distance, how many kilometers to fly along a linear trajectory from Earth to Mars:

• The maximum distance will be 401,330,000 km.
• The average path length is 227,943,000 km.
• The minimum that we will need to overcome is just 54,556,000 km.

The planets reach this minimum distance from each other approximately every two years. And this is the perfect time to launch missions.

Where should Mars be during launch?

Flying to your destination in a straight line will not work. Earlier it was said that the planets are constantly moving. In this case, the spacecraft simply will not meet the red planet on its way, and it will be necessary to catch up with it in theory. In practice, this is impossible; we do not yet have such technologies to pursue a planetary object.

Therefore, for the flight, you need to choose a launch when the arrival into orbit coincides with the arrival of Mars itself in the same place, or come earlier and allow it to catch up with us.

Practically, this means that you can only start your journey when the planets are in the correct position. This launch window opens every 26 months. At this time, the spacecraft can use what is considered the most energy efficient flight path known as the Gohmann trajectory but we will talk about this later.

Orbital mechanics or how many kilometers you need to overcome

Since the elliptical orbits of the Earth and Mars are at different distances from the Sun, and the planets move along them at different speeds, the distance between them varies significantly. As noted earlier, approximately every two years and two months, the planets reach their closest point to each other. This point is called " ", when Mars can be at the minimum distance from the Earth, from 55.68 to 101.39 million kilometers, depending on what year it is.

Thirteen months after the confrontation, he reaches the conjunction. Which means the red and blue planets are on opposite sides of the sun and as far apart as possible. Obviously, if we want to get to the target faster, it's best to schedule a departure at the point of confrontation. But not everything is so simple!

Fast travel would be possible if the interplanetary ship followed a straight path. Unfortunately, space travel is much more complicated than a straight line. The orbital mechanics of each of the planets is unique. All the planetary bodies in the solar system are in constant motion and this makes travel really challenging.

So how many kilometers do you need to travel to Mars from Earth? Let's try to figure it out. If you still think the best way to get to the target is to wait until the two planets are closest to each other, then point the missile at the target and fly over. You know, this will not work for several reasons:

• First, the Earth's gravity will bend the trajectory of any launched vehicle. To eliminate this factor, suppose the rocket is placed in a distant orbit around the Earth, where gravity is weak and orbital motion is slow, allowing us to ignore both facts. Even then, this rocket is still orbiting the Sun along with the Earth, and moving at a speed of about 30 km / s. So if the rocket continues to fly towards its intended target, it will maintain the speed of the Earth and begin its rotation around the Sun at the same time moving to the flight control point.
• Secondly, if we take off when Mars is closest to the Earth, while the spacecraft is moving towards the target, the planet will leave on its orbital trajectory long before the ship overcomes the distance.
• Third, the entire system was dominated by the Sun's gravity. All objects move along orbits or trajectories, which, according to Kepler's laws, are parts of conic sections, in this case, ellipses. In general, they are curved.

Going to the cherished goal during the confrontation, in fact, the nearest distance will be much more significant. To overcome it, you need to use a large amount of fuel. Unfortunately, we are technically unable to increase the volume of tanks. Therefore, to fly to Mars, astrophysicists accelerate the ship, and then it flies by inertia, unable to resist the gravity of celestial bodies, which significantly increases the distance as the device flies in a large arc. Such a route represents a half segment of the heliocentric orbit around the Sun between Mars and Earth.

Recall: a heliocentric orbit is an elliptical trajectory of a celestial body around the Sun.

Let's calculate, the length of half of the Earth's orbit is 3.14 AU. Mars has 4.77 AU We need an average orbit between the planets, half of its length is 3.95 AU. multiply by a distance of 1 AU and round.

Recall: one astronomical unit (1 AU) is equal to 149597868 km.

It turns out that the approximate distance that will have to be overcome will be about 600 million kilometers. For a more accurate calculation of how many kilometers to fly, more complex algorithms are used.

How long does it take to fly to Mars

The question of how long it takes to fly to Mars cannot be answered unambiguously.
The flight time depends on a number of factors:

1. device speed;
2. path route;
3. relative positions of the planets;
4. the amount of cargo on board (payload);
5. amount of fuel.

If we take the first two factors as a basis, then we can theoretically calculate how long it takes to fly to Mars from Earth in time. In order for the device to go on a space journey, it needs to take off from the Earth and overcome its gravity.

Scientific facts: In order to get into low Earth orbit, the speed of a rocket must be at least 7.9 km / s (29 thousand km / h). To send a ship on an interplanetary journey, you need a little more than 11.2 km / s (40 thousand km / h).

On average, travelers make an interplanetary flight at a speed of about 20 km / s. But there are also champions.

The fastest man-made spacecraft is the New Horizons probe. Neither before nor after New Horizons, interplanetary vehicles did not fly away from Earth, at a speed of 16.26 km / s. But if we talk about speed in a heliocentric orbit, then to 16.26 km / s we need to add the speed of the Earth - this is 30 km / s, and we get approximately 46 km / s relative to the Sun. This is impressive - 58536 km / h.

Given these data, the duration of the flight to Mars along the shortest, direct trajectory will take 941 hours or 39 Earth days. A person will have to fly along a route corresponding to the average distance between our planets for 3879 hours, or 162 days. The duration of the flight at the maximum distance will be 289 days.

Let's dream and imagine that we went to Mars by plane in a straight line. If you fly an airplane 54.556 million kilometers, and the average speed of modern passenger aircraft is about 1 thousand km / h, then it will take 545560 hours, or 22731 days and 16 hours. And it looks impressive in the years of almost 63 years. And if we fly in an ellipse, then this figure will increase 8-10 times, which is an average of 560 years.

How many Earth years days hours does it take a man to Mars

How long does it take for a human to reach Mars from Earth? If you dream of someday becoming an astronaut on your first manned flight, be prepared for a long journey. Scientists estimate that the round trip will take about 450 Earth days, averaging 10,800 hours or 1.2 years.

Forecasts: how much to fly in time

The most important variable about how long it would take for a human to get to Mars is obvious - how fast are you going? Speed ​​is the determining factor. The faster we can accelerate the ship, the faster we will arrive at our destination. The flight time on the fastest rocket along the route with the shortest linear distance between the planets will be no more than 42 Earth days.

Scientists have launched a whole bunch of interplanetary modules, so we have a rough idea of ​​how long it will take with current technology.

So, on average, space probes manage to get to Mars from 128 to 333 days.

If we try to send a man today, the best we could realistically do - especially since we'll be sending a large manned spacecraft, not just an SUV-sized probe. Assemble an interplanetary ship in Earth orbit, refuel it and send it flying.

The tech mogul who heads SpaceX says his Interplanetary Transportation System will be able to handle the trip in just 80 days, and end up being able to travel in as little as 30 days.

Countries around the world are conducting research on how long it will take a human flight to Mars. A study in the 90s, in theory, was supposed to send a person to the 2000s. The minimum journey would take 134 days one way, the maximum 350. It was assumed that the flight would take place with a crew of 2 to 12 people.

According to the calculations of the company's scientists, the travel time will take about 210 days or 7-8 months.

According to NASA, an interplanetary journey with humans will take about six months to get to Mars, and another six months to return. In addition, the astronauts will have to spend 18 to 20 months on the surface before the planets align again for the return trip.

Now about how to actually get to our neighboring planet and how long it will take.

How long to fly to Mars is considered quite simple: near the Earth we give an impulse to accelerate and go to an ellipse that touches both orbits. Having reached Mars, we again give an impulse to accelerate and move into its orbit. The flight time can be calculated using Kepler's third law.

Why is it taking so long to fly

Why can't we get there faster now:

• The first reason is huge distances. The minimum distance is calculated not even in millions, but in tens of millions of kilometers. Let me remind you that the maximum distance to the planet is 401330000 km.
• The second reason is technological. The most common type of engine used for spaceflight is a chemical rocket engine. He is able to accelerate the spacecraft to very high speeds. But such engines work for no more than a few minutes, the reason for this is too much fuel consumption. The rocket spends almost all of its reserve on breaking away from the surface and overcoming the force of gravity of the planet. It is not possible to take an additional supply of fuel into the flight today for technical reasons.

How to get to Mars with the least amount of fuel

How much fuel is needed to fly to Mars? The most important aspect of interplanetary flights is the fuel supply on the rocket. When using chemical rocket engines, and there are no real alternatives to them yet, a lot of fuel is needed.

• Firstly, this is due to the need to overcome the force of gravity of the Earth. And the greater the mass of the ship, the more energy is needed to take off, and, accordingly, fuel.
• Secondly, even if you choose the most economical flight route, the rocket must gain at least 11.59 km / s. In terms of the usual units of measurement, this is 41,724 km / h.

In addition to gaining speed, when approaching Mars, the spacecraft needs to reset it, and this can only be achieved if the engines are started and the fuel is spent accordingly. We must not forget about the work of life support systems, because the flight is supposed to be with the participation of people.

You can fly to Mars in less time, but you will also need to use more fuel. This is due to the need to increase the rate of flight. In this case, the fuel consumption for braking will also increase.

The main task of engineers - how to get to Mars with the least amount of fuel was solved back in 1925 by Walter Hohmann. The essence of his method - instead of sending a rocket directly to the planet, you need to increase its orbit, as a result, it will follow a larger orbit around the Sun than the Earth. In the end, the rocket will cross the orbit of Mars - at the very moment when he, too, will be there.

This method of travel is what engineers call a minimum energy transfer orbit - using it to send spacecraft from Earth to Mars with the least amount of fuel.

How to fly faster - possible routes

There are several ways in which you can get to your destination. There are three of them, all of them differ only in two parameters - the speed of movement in outer space and the time in flight.

Elliptical trajectory

The most economical, but also the longest option is the elliptical flight path. And also it is called "Gomanovskaya", in honor of the German scientist Walter Homann. In this case, the spacecraft will pass tangentially to the orbit of Mars, moving along an ellipse. For a flight along such a route, it will be necessary to accelerate the rocket to 11.59 km / s. The travel time will be 259 days, since it is necessary to overcome a greater distance than when moving along the other two trajectories. To switch to the simplest "Homan" trajectory, it will be necessary to increase the rate of movement of a near-Earth satellite by 2.9 km per second.

During space exploration, scientists sent several satellites to study precisely along the Hohmann trajectory. These were both Soviet devices and American ones.

Parabolic trajectory

The second option is a parabolic flight path. To reach it, you will need to accelerate the ship to 16.6 km / s. Travel time will be only 70 days. In this case, the fuel consumption for rocket acceleration, as well as for braking before landing, increases greatly. Scientists estimate the increase in energy costs when flying along a parabolic route by 4.3 times when compared with an elliptical one.

Parabolic trajectory implies the movement of the apparatus along a line in the form of a parabola.

Despite rising fuel costs, parabolic flight is very attractive to scientists. First of all, by reducing the cost of protecting the crew from radiation, as well as supplies of provisions, oxygen and other life support.

Hyperbolic trajectory

The last possible trajectory is hyperbolic. To fly along such a trajectory, the apparatus must be accelerated to speeds exceeding the third space one (16.7 km / s). When moving along a hyperbolic trajectory, the rocket should, as it were, fly past Mars, changing the direction of movement, hitting its gravitational field. The flight line in this case is similar to a hyperbole. Landing becomes possible if the engines for braking near the planet are started in time.

Ideas to reduce flight time

Depending on the initial flight speed from the Earth (from 11.6 km per second to 12 km per second), the duration of the flight to Mars varies from 260 to 150 days. To reduce the time of interplanetary flight, it is necessary to increase the speed, which will affect the decrease in the length of the arc of the ellipse of the path route. But at the same time, the meeting with Mars increases: from 5.7 to 8.7 km per second, which complicates the flight by the need for a safe descent to enter Martian orbit or to land on the surface. In this case, if we want to get there faster, we need new engines to accelerate the ship and have time to slow down.

To speed up the flight time, you need to use other types of rocket engines, for example, electric jet rocket engines and even nuclear.

The advantage of electric motors is the possibility of long-term operation, up to several years. But such devices develop very weak traction. Even getting off the Earth on such a rocket is still impossible. In outer space, electric motors can reach very high speeds. Higher than existing chemical engines. True, it will take him up to several months to do this. For interstellar flights, such a development is still suitable, but it is impractical to fly to Mars with such an engine.

If ion thrusters are not for us, then what technologies of the future can reduce travel time to a few days?

There are the following ideas on how to speed up the flight to Mars:

1. The use of nuclear missiles, the basis of which is the heating of liquefied fuel, and then throwing it out of the nozzle at a very high speed. It is assumed that a nuclear rocket can reduce the time of flight to Mars to about 7 months. Some scientists believe that modern nuclear-powered engines could shorten the trip to 39 days. Can you imagine how fast this spaceship will fly? Nuclear rocket engines have not yet gone beyond ground-based prototypes, but scientists are constantly working on the implementation of such a project.
2. The use of magnetism. Magnetism technology is based on the use of a special electromagnetic device that will ionize and heat rocket fuel, turning it into an ionized gas or plasma, which will accelerate the spacecraft. With this method, the flight can be reduced to 5 months.
3. The use of antimatter. This is the strangest of ideas, although it may be the most successful. Antimatter particles can only be obtained in the particle accelerator. A huge amount of energy is released when particles and antiparticles collide. This can be used for many useful things. According to preliminary calculations, in order for the ship to reach the target, only 10 milligrams of antimatter would be required. However, at least $250 million would have to be spent to produce 10 mg of antimatter. A flight to Mars using antimatter will take only 45 days!

How much will the trip cost?

In addition to the fact that the flight is very long, it is also an expensive event, questions arise about how much it costs to fly to Mars.

One estimate of the costs associated with sending people was made during the administration of George W. Bush. The range ranged from $80 billion to $100 billion. More recent studies have narrowed this down to 20-40 billion dollars.

According to billionaire Elon Musk, the flight will cost less than $500,000 after all, it's not that much. He says the price could drop to $100,000 over time. And don't worry about the return trip, because, according to Elon, it will be free.

Why fly to Mars

There are many reasons for organizing such a mission.

The first is research. Mars is similar to Earth in many ways, and according to scientists, the planets used to have the same atmosphere, and probably life. Large-scale studies should answer the question of whether life is present now, whether the planets are really so similar, and why it became a desert world. The photographs show many interesting and inexplicable phenomena on the surface, which humanity is also eager to study.

The second reason is colonization. There are theories according to which it is possible to artificially recreate the atmosphere. Therefore, develop the ecosystem. This means that in the future, terrestrial plants, animals and, of course, people will be able to grow there.

The third reason is human curiosity. This is the force that made it possible to go from ancient people with primitive tools to a civilization capable of launching research satellites to the remote corners of the universe. One example of such a mission was the landing of an automatic device on the surface of a comet!

How many unresolved flight problems exist

In addition to the long journey, a manned mission presents many other challenges:

Scientists worry that astronauts will be exposed to cosmic rays and other radiation during a long journey. They are also concerned about the physical effects that astronauts experience when exposed to a low-gravity, low-light environment for long periods of time.

Perhaps the most difficult factor to predict is the psychological effect that astronauts may experience as a result of isolation. No one is exactly sure how much mental stress will be caused by the lack of contact with friends and family that the astronauts leave behind.

Other obstacles to such a manned mission include fuel, oxygen, water, and food for the astronauts.

Conclusion

A flight to Mars is a technically very complex and expensive idea. Those who are the first to set foot on the surface of the Red Planet will accelerate to incredible speeds and cover millions of kilometers. In order for them to reach their destination safe and sound, scientists need to come up with means of protection against cosmic radiation, as well as work on creating and improving life support systems. It is necessary to accurately calculate the mass of the ship and payload, and choose the optimal flight route.

Space flights have been of interest to humanity for decades and hundreds of years. In ancient times, people in the simplest telescopes studied the sky in search of answers about earthly life. After the exploration of the moon by spacecraft, Mars took over the minds of mankind. Leading space designers are wondering how to calculate the optimal flight path and how long to fly to Mars.

Mars is one of the first planets in the solar system discovered by mankind. Credit: version.info.

Distance to Mars

The red planet is the second farthest from Earth. The distance between Mars and Earth varies from 55 million to 400 million km.

Light travels to Mars in 3-22 light minutes. It depends on the position of the planets in orbit. In 1964, the US launched the Mariner 4, which reached Mars in 228 days. He took 21 photographs and sent them to Earth. In 1969, Mariner 6 flew to the Red Planet in 155 days. An artificial satellite studied the state of the atmosphere, measured the surface temperature. As a result of subsequent flights, maps of Mars were created.

Viking 1 landed on the surface 304 days after launch. The spacecraft, called Viking-2, reached its destination after 333 days. Over 16,000 color photographs were taken. Flights to Mars from Earth continue into the 21st century. Of the domestic spacecraft, it is worth mentioning Mars-1, which covered millions of kilometers in 230 days. The duration of flights is given one way.

Average flight time

Travel time does not depend on technological advances. To determine it, you need to perform complex mathematical calculations and analyze the orbits of celestial bodies. If the average distance between the planets is taken as 225 million km, flying at an average aircraft speed (1000 km / h), you will have to fly 22,000 days. It's over 60 years old. But you can use the fastest spacecraft that will cover the distance in 39 days. Its speed reaches 58000 km/h.

There is no single route and time to overcome it. During the year, all the planets occupy different places in their orbits, which changes the distance between them. The flight to Mars at the speed of light (over 299 million km / h) will take from 3 to 22 minutes. However, the fastest ship, Voyager-1, is capable of moving at a speed of 62140 km / h, and it is not suitable for the transport of passengers.

Flights to Mars are research missions conducted since the 60s of the XX century without a crew with the help of rovers and orbital stations. Credit: version.info.

On a rocket of a modern level, speeds up to 8350 km / h develop. At this rate, the duration of the flight will be 6586 hours. This is about 274 days at the minimum distance of Mars from Earth. At the maximum distance, the duration of the journey will last up to 5.47 years. To this period, you need to add the time for the return delivery of the astronauts.

Can a person fly

Before the organizers of the mission is the problem of sending the ship there and returning it back. The faster it flies, the better. The minimum speed must be 18,000 km/h. If we take into account the period of approach of the planets, which lasts about 500 days, it will take at least 33 Earth months to travel to Mars. Dangers await space travelers along the way:

• radiation;
• insulation;
• route length;
• gravitational fields;
• limited space, etc.

Space radiation brings great harm to human health. No one can predict the results of its impact. Isolation for a long time leads to sleep disturbance, changes in behavior and in relations between the participants of the space expedition.

Space is not a place for people to live. It takes a lot of effort to create comfortable conditions on the ship. The device will cover half of the way at the maximum possible speed, then it will start braking for a soft landing.

Once on the surface of the Red Planet, a space pilot cannot wait for quick help from Earth. The consequences of the influence of terrestrial, cosmic and alien gravity on the body have not yet been studied.

A person will receive a huge dose of radiation on the way to Mars. Credit: discover24.ru

Another difficulty of human being on Mars is lack of air. The atmosphere of the Red Planet is 96% carbon dioxide, so you always need to move with a breathing apparatus. Frequent sandstorms can destroy the equipment and housing of earthlings, kill the astronauts themselves. The threat is posed by various yet unknown diseases.

Fuel consumption

Engineers propose to fly on vehicles with nuclear engines. They require hydrogen in the amount of 6 tons. On the way back, it is planned to use carbon dioxide, which is available on the Red Planet. Water is split into hydrogen and oxygen, which are used for breathing and producing methane. Many nuances make it difficult to accurately calculate the amount of fuel required for a trip.

Of interest is the idea of ​​fuel heating and ionization by radio waves. The result of the process is plasma. It is cheaper than nuclear fuel.

Antimatter is a new type of fuel for interstellar travel. The speed of the spacecraft develops almost to the level of light, although such devices do not yet exist. A trip to Mars is estimated to require about 10 milligrams of antimatter (worth over $240 million).

Permissible flight paths

There are many gravitational points in the solar system that cannot be collided with. Therefore, safe flight trajectories to the Red Planet have been developed:

• elliptical (Homan);
• parabolic;
• hyperbolic.

The flight path is calculated so that the spacecraft is not directed directly to the planet, but to the point that it will reach after a certain period of time. Credit: mks-onlain.ru.

The Hohmann trajectory was developed by Walter Hohmann, an engineer from Germany. The ship is launched against the motion of the Earth. The application of this method is characterized by the consumption of a large amount of fuel for braking. Ballistic capture is a method of launching spacecraft towards Mars in its orbit. Braking occurs due to atmospheric resistance.

The parabolic trajectory is a difficult but short route. It is overcome in 80 days when the ship moves at the 3rd space speed (16.7 km/h). More fuel is needed for the maneuver, savings come from a shorter flight time: the cost of food and the operation of life support systems are reduced.

The hyperbolic flight path is the shortest route for a space expedition. With such a flight, the time of exposure to cosmic radiation on astronauts is reduced. So far, such trips are impossible, because. spacecraft moving at hyperbolic speeds are under development.

After the launch of the Mars One program, many people began to dream of flying into space, when science fiction would finally come into our lives, and it would be possible to realize in reality what was written in books a few decades ago. But everyone understands that it is not so easy to fly to Mars.

The first step is to calculate the flight time. Since the Earth and Mars rotate in their orbits at different speeds, the moment of their closest approach or opposition occurs quite rarely - once every 26 months. During such periods, the distance between the planets is "only" 55 million kilometers.

When the ship is moving at the second cosmic velocity (11.2 km/s), taking into account the reservations for achieving such a velocity, let's try to estimate how long it will take to fly to Mars. So, the estimated flight time will be 7 months or about 210 days. This is a very approximate figure, because we do not take into account many factors. But such a period and a huge distance are far from the only problem of space travel to the red planet.

The project is a multi-level program, where it is not enough just to enroll in it and find yourself on an interesting adventure. You should start with the fact that not everyone who wants to get into this adventure will fall. And the adventure itself can be called fun with a very big stretch. No one has yet built colonies on another planet, so it is unlikely to be easy.

It is also worth noting that the Mars One project is private, and, therefore, its initiators initially think about profit. Therefore, everything that happens on Mars will be broadcast on television and, in principle, will not differ much from Dom-2. The only difference is that this house will be located 55 million kilometers from the Earth, and there will be a slightly different contingent as participants.

Candidates will undergo mandatory training before departure. Two will be made excellent engineers capable of fixing anything on the station, two will be doctors, one will become a geologist, and one will search for extraterrestrial life. And everyone will get basic skills in terms of basic specialties. From the outside, of course, it resembles a game from the UFO line, only this will happen in reality.

The well-known American company Lockheed Martin, which has already developed a lander for NASA that successfully landed on Mars in 2008, is responsible for the technical part of the project. For the current mission, a significant processing of the device will be required. First of all, due to the fact that more energy will be needed for its implementation, which means that solar panels will take on a new shape and size.

Despite the fact that, due to the vast distance, communication with the Earth will not be an easy task, its colonists will still be provided. The signal delay will be from 3 to 22 minutes, depending on the distance of the planets from each other. But the Internet will be there. Although you will have to constantly preload updates. Or invent a means of communication with an information transfer rate greater than the speed of light.

More than 200,000 people expressed their desire to fly to Mars. However, the competition there is very tough, and no more than twenty will go on a flight. About a quarter of the candidates are Americans. Russians account for four percent. Based on these data, there is a chance that a Russian apple tree will be planted on Mars and the old lines “And apple trees will bloom on Mars” will make sense.

As it usually happens, preparing for something global and large-scale takes much more time than the direct implementation of the plan. Mars is no exception. Preparations for the landing of people will take many years, and the first people will appear there only in 2025. The distance to Mars at the most favorable time is 55 million kilometers, which will take about 200 days. Fly, knowing that you will never return back.

In this material we will answer the questions: What is the distance from Earth to Mars in km? How long does it take to fly to Mars?

In order to answer the question of how long it will take to fly to Mars, we need to consider a number of conditions: from the current position of the planets, to the use of different technologies to fly to Mars. Let's look at a few important points.

So how far is Mars? What is the distance from Earth to Mars in km?

To determine how long it will take to reach the planet Mars, we must first know the distance between the two planets.

Mars- the fourth planet from the Sun and is the second closest planet relative to the Earth (Venus is the closest planet to the Earth).

Since the orbits of the planets around the Sun are different, the distance between Mars and the Earth is constantly changing.

An image of Mars taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2003. Mars was then at a distance of 55 million km (55757930 km to be exact) from the Earth.

In theory, the Earth and Mars will approach each other as close as possible when the following conditions are met: Mars is at the point of Perihelion (the point of the orbit of a celestial body revolving around the Sun, closest to it), and the Earth is at the point of Aphelion (the point of the orbit of a celestial body, revolving around the sun, which is farthest from it). The distance between the two planets would then be 33.9 million miles (54.6 million kilometers). However, this has never happened in human history.

The closest approach of the planets was recorded in 2003, when Earth and Mars were only 34.8 million miles (56 million kilometers) apart.

The greatest distance between the planets is possible when Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun. The distance from Earth to Mars under such conditions would be 250 million miles (401 million kilometers) apart.

The average distance from Earth to Mars is 140 million miles (225 million km).

speed of light

Light travels at about 186.282 miles per second (299,792 km per second). Thus, the sun's rays reflected from the surface of Mars will reach the Earth in the following amount of time:

• With the maximum approach of the planets - 182 seconds, or just over 3 minutes;
• With an average distance - 751 seconds, or just over 12.5 minutes;
• With the minimum approach of the planets - 1342 seconds, or just over 22 minutes.

The fastest spacecraft to date.

The fastest spacecraft that has left Earth orbit is NASA's New Horizons automatic interplanetary station, whose main task was to explore the planet Pluto. In January 2006, New Horizons left Earth orbit at a speed of 36,000 miles per hour (58,000 kilometers per hour).

At this speed, the New Horizons spacecraft would take the following amount of time to reach Mars:

• At the maximum approach of the planets - 942 hours (39 days);
• With an average distance of 3888 hours (162 days);
• With a minimum approach of the planets - 6944 hours (289 days).

All of the above calculations for the distance from Earth to Mars were measured in a straight line.

But in reality, the distance that the spacecraft will cover, flying from Earth to Mars, will be more than calculated in a straight line. This is due to the fact that the planets are always in a mobile state, they rotate in their orbits around the Sun.

And engineers always have to calculate the orbits of spacecraft to send them to Mars. Engineers also calculate the exact location of the planet when the satellite flies up.

Video about when is the best time to fly to Mars

By the way, you can find out for yourself the most suitable date for the next flight to Mars. To do this, you can use one of 3D models of the solar system describing the motion of the planets.

A small list of spacecraft and the amount of time they flew to Mars:

• Mariner 4- is the first spacecraft to explore Mars from a flyby trajectory (approach to Mars in 1964). It took the spacecraft 228 days to reach Mars;
• Mariner 6(rapprochement in 1969) - the device took 155 days to fly to Mars;
• Mariner 7(rapprochement in 1969) - the device took 128 days to fly to Mars;
• Mariner 9(the first spacecraft that entered the orbit of Mars - 1971) - the device took 168 days to reach Mars;
• "Viking 1"(the first spacecraft that landed on the surface of Mars - 1975) - the device took 304 days to fly to Mars;
• "Viking 2"(rapprochement and landing on Mars in 1975) - the device took 333 days to fly to Mars;
• Mars Global Surveyor(rapprochement 1996) - the device took 308 days to fly to Mars;
• "Mars Pathfinder"(rapprochement 1996) - the device took 212 days to fly to Mars;
• "Mars Odyssey"(rapprochement 2001) - the device took 200 days to fly to Mars;
• Mars Express Orbiter(rapprochement 2003) - the device took 201 days to fly to Mars;
• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter(rapprochement in 2005) - the device took 210 days to fly to Mars;
• “Mars Science Laboratory”/Curiosity rover(rapprochement in 2011) - the device took 254 days to fly to Mars.
• (rapprochement in 2014) - the device took 307 days to fly to Mars.