Could Experimental Plasma Engine Rockets Get Us to Mars in 30 days?
For a lunar expedition, it’s advantageous that the Moon maintains a fairly consistent distance from us. In contrast, Mars orbits the Sun independently, causing the distances and travel times between Earth and Mars to fluctuate significantly. To minimize travel time, we could launch when the planets are nearest, but by the time we reach Mars, perform our mission, and return, the planets would have moved apart, lengthening the journey back. Currently, a manned mission to Mars could take approximately two to three years in total.