Part 6/11:
The Challenge of Reaching Mars
Mars looms large in human imagination for planetary travel. However, despite being the next planet outward from Earth, travel to Mars cannot be rushed. Launch windows occur every 26 months, leading to extended mission planning phases.
Orbit and Transit Times
The distance between Earth and Mars varies significantly, leading to substantial differences in travel times depending on the relative positions of these planets. Mars requires much more complex navigation due to its elongated elliptical orbit, capturing the interest of engineers and scientists who have sent numerous singular missions over the decades—twice as many as to Mercury or Venus.