By plane to Mars: about 29 years
By plane (900 km/h) it would take about 29 years to get to Mars – at the average distance of 225,000,000 km, non-stop and in a straight line.
Because the distance keeps changing, the travel time ranges from 6.9 years (closest) to 51 years (farthest).
For comparison
A child born at take-off would be almost 30 years old at landing.
How it is calculated
- Closest distance
- 54,600,000 km
- Average distance
- 225,000,000 km
- Farthest distance
- 401,000,000 km
- Speed
- 900 km/h
- Formula
- Travel time = distance ÷ speed
- Result
- 225,000,000 km ÷ 900 km/h ≈ 29 years
Assumption: constant speed in a straight line, with no stops, acceleration or braking. Real spacecraft fly curved paths and use the gravity of planets.
Good to know: Mars
Earth and Mars orbit the Sun at different speeds. About every 26 months Earth overtakes Mars and the two are closest (opposition). When they are on opposite sides of the Sun, they are more than 400 million km apart – which is why Mars missions can only launch in these windows.
→ Fact sheet: MarsMars: travel time by every vehicle
| Vehicle | Speed | Travel time | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | 100 km/h | 260 years | 62 years – 460 years |
| Airplane | 900 km/h | 29 years | 6.9 years – 51 years |
| Rocket | 61,000 km/h | 150 days | 37 days – 270 days |
| Speed of light | 1,079,252,849 km/h | 12.5 minutes | 3 minutes – 22 minutes |