NY 10036. It landed on the Red Planet on July 20, 1976. Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, and the second closest to Earth (Venus is the closest). This dried-up ancient river delta once carried liquid water across the surface of Mars. For decades now, ever since humans reached the moon, the next target has been Mars. .css-8h1dth-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-8h1dth-Link:hover,.css-8h1dth-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. How long does it take to get to Mars? Scientists on Earth have already launched a whole bunch of spacecraft to (or near) Mars, so we have a rough idea of how long it takes with … .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}How long does it take to get to Mars? Evolving technology can help to shorten the flight. Watch the key bits, including that fly. The valleys formed as they would on earth, with a strong flow of water carving its way through the landscape. NASA's Curiosity rover entered the Martian atmosphere in a protective capsule that decelerated using parachutes about seven miles from the ground. © 2020 BBC. The time it takes to travel to Mars is dependent on the speed of the launch and the distance between Mars and Earth, due to both of their alignments. The elliptical orbit which carries you from Earth to Mars is longer than Earth's orbit, but shorter than Mars' orbit. And why is landing on Mars known as the "seven minutes of terror"? Video, 00:02:13What is SpaceX and why is it working with Nasa? Video, 00:01:20, 'Best chance yet to detect life's traces on Mars' Video, 00:09:40, 'Best chance yet to detect life's traces on Mars', What is SpaceX and why is it working with Nasa? Team Zopherus won second place. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. It's estimated more than four million people have already cast their ballots ahead of the 3 November election. Well, summer 2020 is a popular time for missions to the red planet because of the way the planets align. The photographed area is 31 x 7.5km. But how far away is Mars? Video, 00:01:01Young voters 'looking for respect' in VP debate. By this point, the spacecraft slowed down from about 13,200mph to 1,000mph. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Their launch dates are included for perspective. Philip Lubin, a physics professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his team are working on the Directed Energy Propulsion for Intersteller Exploration (DEEP-IN). Why are there so many attempts to get to Mars at the moment? Nasa reveals breathtaking selfie from Mars that is unlike any before, Nasa releases audio of recordings from surface of mars, Nasa centennial challenge: Finalists design 3D Mars habitats, Signs of ancient rivers on Mars revealed in new images, Life on Mars could be found in two years but world is ‘not prepared’, You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. Because astronauts will be away for roughly three years, it means that any health issues that arise must be able to be dealt with away from Earth, making even the most minor illness cause for concern. .css-8h1dth-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-8h1dth-Link:hover,.css-8h1dth-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Mars is named after the Roman God of war, Mars 1. Video, 00:03:07Are wildfires the end of the Californian dream? ", DON'T MISS...Mars in 4K: Stunning rover surface photo remastered in HD [PICTURES]Life on Mars bombshell: Expert insists 'there's something' [INSIGHT]NASA's zodiac bombshell exposed: What it means for you [ANALYSIS]. Video, 00:01:20Hope probe: UAE launches Mars mission, 'Best chance yet to detect life's traces on Mars' Video, 00:09:40'Best chance yet to detect life's traces on Mars'. NASA is developing the capabilities needed to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s – goals outlined in the bipartisan NASA Authorization Act of 2010 and in the U.S. National Space Policy, also issued in 2010. © Photon propulsion would rely on a powerful laser to accelerate spacecraft to velocities approaching the speed of light. But the distance between the two planets is constantly changing as they travel around the sun. "All in all, your trip to Mars would take about 21 months: nine months to get there, three months there, and nine months to get back. Video, 00:02:44Secret erotic drawings worth £2m kept under bed. What other challenges face astronauts landing on Mars? Video, 00:01:43The spacecraft trying to 'touch' the Sun, Five things you should know about Jeff Bezos. What Mercury can teach us about Earth. "That means you will have to spend three to four months at Mars before you can begin your return trip. Lower parts of the surface are shown in blues and purples, while higher-altitude regions show up in whites, browns, and reds, as indicated on the scale to the top right. Taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express satellite. Visit our corporate site. Video, 00:01:11, Long queues as Americans vote early in US election, Fly steals the show at vice-presidential debate. Who is Kamala Harris? The Korolev crater, an 82-kilometre-across crater filled with ice found in the northern lowlands of Mars. Why should we go to Mars? Best binoculars 2020: Top picks for skywatching, nature and travel from Celestron, Meade and other top brands, Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson won't fly on 1st crewed Starliner launch, Closest possible approach: 182 seconds, or 3.03 minutes, Closest recorded approach: 187 seconds, or 3.11 minutes, Farthest approach: 1,342 seconds, or 22.4 minutes, On average: 751 seconds, or just over 12.5 minutes, Closest possible approach: 942 hours (39 days), Closest recorded approach: 967 hours (41 days), Farthest approach: 6,944 hours (289 days), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005): 210 days. You have to plan ahead to make sure that by the time you reach the distance of Mar's orbit, that Mars is where you need it to be! The first to land there was the Viking 1 Lander, which was launched on August 20 th, 1975. Secret erotic drawings worth £2m kept under bed. How long it takes to reach Mars depends on where in their orbits the two planets lie when a mission is launched. The method could propel a 220-lb. Why are there so many attempts to get to Mars at the moment? In the left of the image is the Holden crater, which is 140km across. Nasa plans to send humans to Mars within two decades, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Video, 00:00:56Fly steals the show at vice-presidential debate, Secret erotic drawings worth £2m kept under bed. Administrator Jim Bridenstine said: "In 2026, we're going to launch a mission from Earth to Mars to go pick up those samples and bring them back to Earth. An optimal transfer window only opens up every 26 months when both planets are in the right position. Out of the 40 Mars missions, only 18 have actually been successful 1. Therefore, a light shining from the surface of Mars would take the following amount of time to reach Earth (or vice versa): The fastest spacecraft launched from Earth was NASA's New Horizons mission, which visited Pluto in 2015. Video, 00:02:09, Up Next, The woman leading UAE's mission to Mars. Video, 00:02:13. The Easy Answer. How long does it take to travel to Mars? Before we go over how long it will take to get to Mars, we wanted to go over some facts about the Red Planet. Well, summer 2020 is a popular time for missions to the red planet because of the way the planets align. This article was originally published in November 2019. "In the nine months it takes to get to Mars, Mars moves a considerable distance around in its orbit, about three-eighths of the way around the sun. About five miles from the ground, the capsule dropped its heat shield, exposing the rover. Released December 20 2018. Practically, this means that you can only begin your trip when Earth and Mars are properly lined up. Video, 00:06:29, Five things you should know about Jeff Bezos, 'Mr Vice-President, I am speaking' Video, 00:03:23, Young voters 'looking for respect' in VP debate. This only happens every 26 months. Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate? Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. As hospital admissions for Covid-19 rise again, we take a look at a 12-hour shift in A&E. And why is landing on Mars known as the "seven minutes of terror"? Video, 00:06:29, Five things you should know about Jeff Bezos, 'Mr Vice-President, I am speaking' Video, 00:03:23, Young voters 'looking for respect' in VP debate. British Airways' last two Heathrow-based Boeing 747 planes have departed from the airport on their final flight. "All in all, your trip to Mars would take about 21 months: nine months to get there, three months there, and nine months to get back. That is, there is only one launch window every 26 months.". This would put the planets only 33.9 million miles (54.6 million kilometers) apart.