In days, months or years: for each planet of the solar system to be explored, the duration of the trip must be taken into account. Here is how long we can expect to reach Mercury, Mars or Uranus.
The JUICE mission flew to the moons of Jupiter. This probe from the European Space Agency has a very long journey, in zigzags, before arriving in the Jovian system: its journey will take 8 years. The duration of the trip is one of the parameters to be considered in the success of such missions. By the way, how many days, months or years does it take to reach each planet in the solar system?
Several probes have left to explore the solar system and its planets. The length of their journey helps give an idea of how long it would take to reach Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Mercury
What is the distance between Mercury and Earth?
Just under 92 million kilometers separate Mercury from Earth.
How long does it take to get to Mercury?
The Messenger probe was launched on August 3, 2004 in the direction of the planet. Its first flyby of Mercury took place on January 14, 2008. It therefore took 1260 days to cover the distance between the two stars. It seems long, but you should know that the probe had to position itself in orbit around Mercury: for that, it had to move forward at a limited speed.
The particularly fast New Horizons probe travels at a speed of 80,000 km per hour. It would take 40 days to reach Mercury from Earth (at their closest point, which is about 77 million km).
Venus
What is the distance between Venus and Earth?
Just over 41 million kilometers separate the Earth from its “twin sister” Venus.
How long does it take to get to Venus?
The Mariner 2 probe is the first to have succeeded in flying over the star: it was launched on August 27, 1962 and the flyby took place on December 14. So he had to 110 days to make the trip.
The Venus Express mission needed a little more time: launched on November 9, 2005, the probe entered orbit on April 11, 2006. It therefore took 154 days to arrive at its destination. The difference between the travel times is explained by the fact that the probes must reach a transfer orbit (allowing to pass from the Earth orbit to the Venusian orbit). Depending on the size of the rocket, the trip may take longer.
March
What is the distance between Mars and Earth?
The red planet is separated from Earth by just over 78 million kilometers.
How long does it take to get to Mars?
A manned space mission to Mars is one of NASA’s major objectives for the years to come. How long will it take to make the trip? It’s necessary 9 months (between 150 and 300 days). The journey to Mars can only begin when the two planets are properly aligned, which happens every 26 months.
If the New Horizons probe could travel in a straight line to Mars, it could approach it in 39 days.
Jupiter
What is the distance between Jupiter and Earth?
Things are still tough to reach Jupiter, which is more than 628 million kilometers from Earth.
How long does it take to go to Jupiter?
The Juno probe, launched on August 5, 2011, reached the planet on July 4, 2016. It therefore took just under 5 years, or 1,796 days in total, to arrive at its destination. It should be noted that during this trip, the probe did not enter its transfer orbit until two years after launch.
The New Horizons spacecraft performed a flyby of Jupiter. It was launched on January 19, 2006 and reached Jupiter on February 14, 2007: it took 13 monthsor exactly 392 days, to reach the gas giant.
Saturn
What is the distance between Saturn and Earth?
Saturn is just under 1.3 billion kilometers from Earth.
How long does it take to go to Saturn?
The Cassini-Huygens probe, launched on October 15, 1997, entered orbit around Saturn on July 1, 2004. It took more than 7 years to make this trip, or exactly 2,664 days.
Uranus
What is the distance between Uranus and Earth?
Earth is separated from Uranus by just under 2.3 billion kilometers.
How long does it take to go to Uranus?
Only the Voyager 2 probe explored the planet: it was launched on August 20, 1977 and approached Uranus on January 24, 1986. The journey lasted more than 8 years, or a total of 3,080 days exactly.
Neptune
What is the distance between Neptune and Earth?
To go to Neptune, you have to be ready for a long journey: the planet is more than 4.3 billion kilometers from us.
How long does it take to go to Neptune?
The Voyager 2 probe made the closest pass of the star on August 25, 1989. This represents more than 12 years, or 4,389 days precisely.
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