I'm Leaving Y'all: How Many Days Does It Take to Get to Space?
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
After a long Earth vacation, I've decided to leave again. While packing my suitcase, I suddenly realized I hadn't written a blog post about how to get to space. After all, like many expats, I travel back and forth between space and Earth. You can join me on this blog; I wasn't kidding when I said there's room for everyone on my rocket! From space rockets to flights, I'll answer your questions like how many days it takes to get to space and how many days it takes to get from Earth to the Moon. Buckle up, because an epic journey awaits us!
Contents
How many days does it take to get to space?
There are two different ways to travel from Earth to space: reaching the Kármán line, 100 km above sea level, or entering Earth's orbit. The Kármán line is the hypothetical outer space starting boundary located 15 km above the mesosphere. It takes spacecraft an average of 3 minutes to reach this line and "go into space ." For launched spacecraft, entering low Earth orbit (160-1000 km) takes approximately 8-15 minutes . However, for larger rockets, this takes an average of 15-30 minutes .
So the question of how many days it takes to get to space is a bit misleading here because the vehicle used to travel from Earth to space plays a big role. Since the vehicles sent into space are usually satellites, comparing it to the speed of rockets isn't logical. Now let's move on to our other questions.
How Long Will It Take to Get to Space: Honorary Awards
On November 16, 2022, it took the Artemis 1 spacecraft 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach an altitude of 100 km above Earth.
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin was launched aboard Vostok 1 at 06:07 UTC and 10 minutes later reached its highest altitude of 327 km, becoming the first human in space.
On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard, aboard Freedom 7, became the first American to travel into space, reaching a maximum altitude of 187.4 km (116.5 miles) 5:14 minutes after launch, in a suborbital flight lasting only 15 minutes.
Yuri Gagarin's Vosok (left) and Alan Shepard's (right) spacesuits.
How Many Hours Does it Take to Get to Space: The Imagination Version
Now, let's see how long it takes to travel to space, 100 km above the Earth, directly vertically, using different modes of transportation:
Vehicle | Constant Speed | Arrival time on the Kármán line |
|---|---|---|
To walk | 5.1 km/h | 20 hours 1 minute |
Skate | 19 km/h | 5 hours 21 minutes |
Bicycle | 25 km/h | 4 hours |
Seagull (Scooter) | 18 km/h | 5 hours 33 minutes |
Normal Scooter | 25 km/h | 4 hours |
On Horseback | 12 km/h | 8 hours 20 minutes |
Dragonback | 70 km/h | 1 hour 25 minutes |
Appa | 25 km/h | 4 hours |
Car | 80 km/h | 1 hour 15 minutes |
Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut | 531 km/h | 11 minutes 18 seconds |
Marmaray | 70 km/h | 1 hour 25 minutes |
High-Speed Train | 320 km/h | 18 minutes 45 seconds |
Hot Air Balloon | 8 km/h | 12 hours 30 minutes |
Jetpack | 74 km/h | 1 hour 21 minutes |
Passenger Aircraft | 800 km/h | 7 minutes 30 seconds |
NASA X-43A Aircraft | 11,265 km/h | 32 seconds |
How long will it take to get to the moon?
It takes approximately 3 days for a spacecraft to reach the Moon. During this time, a spacecraft travels at least 386,400 kilometers between Earth and the Moon, but the exact distance depends on the specific route chosen.
The Apollo 11 lunar mission, carried out by three astronauts in 1969, lasted four days, six hours, and 45 minutes. Apollo 10 holds the record for the highest speed ever achieved by a crewed spacecraft, at 39,897 km per hour.
Travel Times to Planets in the Solar System
Now let's delve deeper into the world of outer space and examine how long it takes to travel to other planets.
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Mercury?
The journey from Earth to Mercury takes an average of 3-7 months. NASA's Mariner 10 mission reached Mercury approximately 147 days (about 5 months) after launch in 1973. Mercury is known as the planet closest to the Sun, which makes reaching it challenging because the spacecraft must overcome the Sun's strong gravitational force.
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Venus?
Traveling from Earth to Venus usually takes 3-5 months. The Soviet Union's Venera 7 spacecraft, launched in 1970, reached Venus in approximately 120 days (about 4 months).
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Mars?
The journey from Earth to Mars takes an average of 6-9 months. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft, carrying the Curiosity Rover, completed its journey from Earth to Mars in just 254 days (approximately 8.5 months).
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Jupiter?
Traveling from Earth to Jupiter takes an average of 1-3 years. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System, and reaching it requires a considerably long journey from Earth. The Galileo spacecraft took approximately 6 years to reach Jupiter. This long journey is due to its strategy of gaining speed by using the gravitational pull of Earth and Venus. If a direct route were followed, this time could be as short as 1-2 years.
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Saturn?
On average, it takes 6-7 years to travel from Earth to Saturn. NASA's Cassini mission reached Saturn approximately 7 years after launch from Earth. Missions like Cassini often shorten this time by using gravity-assisted maneuvers.
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Uranus?
Traveling from Earth to Uranus usually takes between 8 and 14 years . The Voyager 2 spacecraft, launched in 1979, reached Uranus in approximately 9 years (in 1986). This time can vary depending on the spacecraft's speed and trajectory.
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Neptune?
Traveling from Earth to Neptune takes an average of 12-15 years. Neptune is the outermost planet in the Solar System, making it the longest-reaching destination. Voyager 2, launched in 1977, reached Neptune in approximately 12 years (in 1989).
How long does it take to travel from Earth to Pluto?
The journey from Earth to Pluto typically takes 9-12 years. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, launched in 2006, reached Pluto in 2015, completing the journey in 9.5 years. A fast flyby route was used for this mission.
