How long does it take to fly to the Moon?

Lunar missions have shown that the answer to this question can vary.

the year 1969 astronauts the Apollo 11 mission were the first in history to land on Month The journey to Earth’s natural satellite took 109 hours and 42 minutes, counting from the moment of launch to Neil Armstrong’s first step on the Moon’s surface.

The duration of the flight depends on many factors, including whether the mission is manned.

In 1959, the Soviet unmanned spacecraft “Luna-1” covered the distance to the Moon in 34 hours. However, the spacecraft veered off course and flew past the Moon at a distance of 5,995 km. By the way, it is still drifting through the vastness of space.

Meanwhile, the fastest to reach the Moon, or rather to fly past it, was the New Horizons spacecraft, which NASA launched in 2006 to study Pluto. The unmanned craft reached Earth’s natural satellite in 8 hours and 35 minutes.

However, the presence of astronauts on board is not the most significant factor. The varying travel times are largely determined by the amount of fuel consumed. Using more fuel makes the spacecraft heavier and the mission more expensive, the publication reported. Live Science .

What else affects the flight time to the Moon?

Travel time also depends on other factors. According to Mark Blenton, an analyst NASA One of the most important factors is the mission’s goal.

“It is necessary to assess the type of rockets and their capabilities for transporting spacecraft. The capabilities of the rockets and the objectives of the mission will determine the size of the spacecraft. Analyzing all the constraints will allow for the development of an optimal trajectory,” the expert noted.

What was the longest flight to the Moon?

The record for the longest journey to the Moon was set in 2022 by the CAPSTONE probe (NASA). The 25-kilogram spacecraft took 4.5 months to reach its destination. After launching from Earth, it made several orbits around our planet before finally entering lunar orbit. During this time, the probe performed a very important task: it collected data on the orbit that will be used for the first lunar outpost, Gateway.