At the speed of light to Mars: about 12.5 minutes
At the speed of light (1,079,252,849 km/h) it would take about 12.5 minutes 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 3 minutes (closest) to 22 minutes (farthest).
For comparison
That's why nobody can drive a Mars rover live: a command needs 12.5 minutes on average to arrive – and the reply just as long to come back.
How it is calculated
- Closest distance
- 54,600,000 km
- Average distance
- 225,000,000 km
- Farthest distance
- 401,000,000 km
- Speed
- 1,079,252,849 km/h
- Formula
- Travel time = distance ÷ speed
- Result
- 225,000,000 km ÷ 1,079,252,849 km/h ≈ 12.5 minutes
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: Mars