How Long Does It Take Hermes to Get to Mars?

Are you curious about how long it takes for Hermes, the fictional spacecraft from the book and movie “The Martian,” to travel to Mars? Let’s dive into the details!

The Hermes Spacecraft

In “The Martian,” author Andy Weir created an intricate and realistic fictional world where NASA sends a team of astronauts on a mission to Mars. The spacecraft that takes them there and back is called the Hermes.

The Hermes is a nuclear-powered ship with a rotating section that creates artificial gravity for the crew during their long journey through space. It also has several modules, including living quarters, labs, and an airlock.

The Distance Between Earth and Mars

Before we can determine how long it takes for the Hermes to get to Mars, we need to understand the distance between Earth and Mars. The two planets are never at the same distance from each other due to their elliptical orbits around the sun. However, on average, they are about 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) apart.

The Travel Time

Now that we know the distance between Earth and Mars let’s get into how long it takes for Hermes to make this journey. In “The Martian,” it took approximately 124 days for the spacecraft to travel from Earth to Mars.

However, in reality, travel times can vary depending on several factors such as:

  • The alignment of Earth and Mars in their respective orbits
  • The speed of the spacecraft
  • The amount of fuel available for propulsion
  • Any gravitational slingshots or other maneuvers used during the journey

NASA’s most recent successful mission to Mars was the Perseverance rover. It launched on July 30th, 2020, and arrived on February 18th, 2021 – a total travel time of 203 days.

Conclusion

In summary, the fictional spacecraft Hermes from “The Martian” took approximately 124 days to travel from Earth to Mars. However, in reality, travel times can vary depending on several factors. NASA’s most recent successful mission to Mars took 203 days.

Now that you know how long it takes for a spacecraft to get to Mars let your imagination run wild and think about what kind of adventure you would have on such a journey!