How long does it take to get to Mars, some amateur astronomers ask themselves. The journey takes some time and is associated with numerous special features
How long it takes to get to Mars: An explanation
Mankind has been toying with the idea of colonizing Mars for a long time. At some point in the distant future, Earth may no longer be habitable. It therefore makes sense to head for other planets in our solar system and establish a base for life there. Mars is particularly suitable, but the journey there will take a little longer.
- A one-way trip to Mars takes about nine months. The same amount of time must be allowed for the return journey. In total, the spaceship would then be on the move for around 18 months.
- The Mars space probe “Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter” completed this flight in seven months. However, the energy requirement for this was significantly higher compared to a space flight with a longer flight time.
- No one has ever set foot on Mars. Only space probes and so-called Mars rovers have explored it so far.
- Nasa is working on bringing people to Mars. But first there are to be landings on the moon again so that it can be used as a “springboard” to Mars.
- Elon Musk has also set himself the goal of taking humanity to Mars. That is why he founded the company “SpaceX” in 2002.
Effects of space travel on humans
It is now an unwritten law that humans are not designed for space. Longer stays in weightlessness are detrimental to health. A flight to Mars would require a stay in space of at least 400 to 450 days. For these reasons, a long space visit is unhealthy for humanity:
- The astronaut’s psyche can suffer considerably. He or she would be “locked up” in a small spaceship for a long period of time and would only have contact with a few people flying with them
- From a physical point of view, health problems can occur. During a longer stay in space, for example, bone mass diminishes due to weightlessness.
- Furthermore, cosmic radiation to which the body is exposed occurs during space flights. This can severely damage the genetic material in human cells.
