How’s it going, gorgeous individuals?
Manned missions to Mars have generated a great deal of intrigue among scientists, engineers, and space enthusiasts alike. Consequently, as excitement for manned missions to the Red Planet grows, one of the most pressing questions is how long does it take to get to Mars?
It depends on several parameters, including, for example, the mechanics of the orbit, the technology of the spacecraft, the configuration of the spacecraft, the mission of the mission and the configuration of the two planets being observed, Earth and Mars.
Let’s begin!
What Is Orbital Mechanics
To appreciate how long a trip to Mars would be, one must first familiarize themselves with the basics of orbital mechanics. Earth and Mars both revolve around the Sun in elliptical orbits, but the positions of the planets change drastically with time.
For example, the average distance that exists between Earth and Mars is 225 million kilometers or 140 million miles; however, this distance can be approximately 54.6 million kilometers or 33.9 million miles closer, which is the case at their closest approach (opposition) and when they are on opposite sides of the sun, the two planets can be about 401 million kilometers or 249 million miles from each other.
Hohmann Transfer Orbit
Hohmann transfer orbit is the best way to move from one planet to the other. This procedure utilizes the correct positioning of Earth and Mars to launch the craft. For Earth and Mars, this particular alignment takes place every twenty six months.
While preparing a mission, space agencies determine when it is convenient to the area where the rocket will be launched, a space rocket when two planets earth and Marsare aligned.
Travel Time Estimates
Hohmann transfer orbit describes the least energy expended path for moving from one planet to the other. In this approach, a ship is launched when Mars and Earth are sufficiently in line. This alignment takes place after every bull about 26 months for earth and Mars respectively.
While deciding a mission, launch windows are calculated by all space agencies with taking the Hohmann transfer orbit which consumes less fuel and time while traveling a long distance to planets. The flight plan involves 2 major burns, 1 to get out of earth’s orbit and the other to get into Mars’ orbital.
Speed And Technology
Typical time taken to travel to Mars with the Hohmann transfer orbit is found to be between six months to nine months. NASA’s Mars mission’s Perseverance Rover, which was sent out on July 30, 2020, reached Mars on February 18 2021 which took around 6.5 months. This duration suggests the practicability of a crewed mission by current technology.
The efficiency of a spacecraft is greatly defined by its speed with regard to distance to be covered. The more fuel the carrying rockets contain, the more speed the rocket is able to reach. In the case of for example construction projects, the Space Launch System (SLS) is being built to transfer people faster on the surface of Mars making side trips.
As expected, the speed of travel to the planet may be decreased considerably if breakthrough propulsion technology becomes reality.
Future Propulsion Technology
Considerable travel time to Mars could be changed with several advanced propulsion technologies.
Nuclear Thermal Propulsion
Here, a nuclear reactor heats the propellant as opposed to burning. It is more efficient than the conventional way using rockets powered by chemical fuels. This means that with the NTP technology, a spacecraft could be on Mars in around 3 to 4 months.
Ion Propulsion
Ion thrusters can work with gas fuel by accelerating ions using electrical energy then ionized gas is ejected from the thruster that creates thrust. While their thrust is low, they can be turned on all the time, and this could potentially help shorten the time of travel for long missions.
Solar Sails
Provided that the sun will shine, there is hope that solar sails will move, except tension should not be greater than 2g which is sustainable enough for a short time. Still, this technology remains at the research and development phase.
Fusion Propulsion
A very attractive technology is imagining a spaceship that uses fusion propulsion which can send a space traveler to Mars in several weeks. Fusion propulsion remains a theoretical technology.
The Journey Challenges in Psychology & Physiology
However, going to Mars is not just a question of how far; there are immense psychological and physical barriers to the astronauts as well.
Isolation and Confinement
Due to long duration missions, space missions to Mars will especially involve the astronauts living in a confined and solitary environment for longer times.
Health Concerns
Long-term exposure to microgravity may give rise to different health problems such as muscle wasting, low bone mass, and ocular changes. Assuming that the mission to Mars would take up to approximately 18 months (including travel and encampment periods on Mars), it is essential to eliminate these health concerns. Research performed on the international space station is a great resource in understanding how spaceflight can be prolonged.
Exposure to Radiation
A bridge to this further understanding would be the impact of micro gravity and the effects of exposure to cosmic rays. Mars having no earth like magnetosphere and atmosphere exposes astronauts to more radiations. Long term exposure may predispose to more chances of cancers and injury to the brain and spinal cord. Space agencies are doing a lot of good and active work in the field of drug development, trying to find protection from these drawbacks in the form of medications.
Current Missions and Future Plans
Many space agencies have been laying elaborate plans to undertake various missions to Mars, with different time frames and purposes. Here are some of the most remarkable plans:
NASA’s Artemis Program
NASA’s strategy of Artemis is to put people on the Moon again in the mid 2020s and then use the Moon, the ancient habitat, as a place for training for the anew repatriation of human beings to Martian soil. Lessons learned from missions to the Moon will guide the necessary technologies and plans regarding Mars with humans on it. Education and public outreach at NASA aims at increasing knowledge of the American public through the internet and social media.
Mars Sample Return Mission
The European Space Agency (ESA), as well as NASA, are working on a Mars Sample Return mission which is intended to transport soil and rocky matter back to earth. This mission is slated to take off in the late 2020s and will give more foresight on human exploration.
SpaceX’s Starship
The head of SpaceX, Elon Musk, is busy constructing a spacecraft known as the Starship which aims to allow man to venture out of the Earth in search of new colonies, particularly on Mars. The plan is for the firm to attempt its first Human crewed mission to the red planet sometime around 2025, wherein they will hopefully have become more advanced in achieving shorter space travel times.
International Collaborations
China is not the only one planning Mars missions as other countries like the UAE alike have displayed an increasing interest in interplanetary exploration efforts. The synergies may improve our exploration strategies of Mars as well as reduce the risk of undertaking manned missions.
Preparing for Mars The Role of Simulations
So as to have a desire to travel to Mars, preparations are being advanced and different simulations and analog missions are happening on the planet earth. Such studies help researchers in understanding how long distant space travel will be performed.
Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS)
The Mars Society, included manages the Mars desert research station, located in Utah, and simulates the surface of Mars for research and Training. A crew survives in isolation and in different conditions study challenges of space travel.
HI-SEAS (Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation)
Manned missions that have a duration of considerable length, HI-SEAS is carried out on Mauna Loa, Hawaii in isolation. Participants live and explore Martian conditions in a habitat, focusing on team organization, food growing, and operational strategies for missions.
Conclusion
The roadmap to the planet Mars is neither clear nor simple and involves much more than just a travel distance calculation. Travel times are currently viewed as being in the six to nine month range however, better use of propellants and plans in the coming future has the potential to shorten this even further.
With assistance from workforce and other resources, there has been a rising expectation on the exploration of Mars and undertaking of manned missions to the planet by various space capable organizations, private ones inclusive. Therefore overcoming the challenges of extended mission space travels – psychological, physical, logistic or otherwise – is critical to the success of the missions.
In the end, the challenges that man has to face to reach the planet Mars, epitomizes the instinct of man to wonder about space and his search for new lands. New technological advances and alterations in the way we understand space travel and exploration puts within our reach, the best of all possibilities – traveling to Mars, and happily, wading in a new influx of adventurers and discoveries
