Do NOT Aim This Rocket At Mars! #shorts

If you want to send a rocket to Mars, it would make sense to aim it at Mars...

However, it’s not that easy! Here's why - because Earth is closer to the Sun than Mars is, the rocket has to be tossed "up" to Mars's orbit. To get that high while using the least amount of fuel means sending your rocket on a trajectory that intersects Mars's orbit on the far side of the sun.

Because you know where the rocket has to go, you need to time your launch so that Mars is there to catch your ship when the two orbits intersect. If you are intrigued and want to try this for yourself, be sure to check out the Kerbal Space Program game!

@KerbalSpaceProgramOfficial

[Leonium]

"Earth" "Mars" What are these names? I only know Kerbin and Duna!

[Voltaic_Fire]

The age old Space Invader tactic, don't aim where the target is, aim where the target is going to be.

[Voltaic_Fire]

"There's little _'martian'_ for error."
Oh I do love a good pun. 😁

[raeB_D_ahC]

I'll remember this for when I next go to mars

[light_gladiator]

I’m so happy that KSP is now on MinueteMinis, giving kids food, and spending 1642 years in space! What can’t these little guys do?

[Code-]

So glad that one of my favorite space games have finnaly been mentioned to a larger audience.

[IfYouKnewYouKnow]

Who could EVER possibly think you should aim directly at your target when you and your target are both moving. Tbh I genuinely want to know who this actually helped that was thinking that🤣🤣

[Dreamanchik]

"And, as we all know, a duna transfer window is, if you were to draw a line from kerbin to the sun to duna, the angle at which those lines would meet should be something about 45°"
© Elon Musk

[thefirebeanie]

Sfs players: do not recite the magic to me I was there when it was written

[petersmythe]

Do note that you can actually spend not that terribly much Delta-V to adjust the transfer by a significant amount in both the departure and arrival dates.

[darracqboy]

Me feeling smort already knowing this from Ksp

[TheSourKnight]

While more fuel-efficient this still seems highly impractical

[queentitaniaofthefae]

Kerbal orbital mechanics in a nut shell

[Cubeify]

Love the fact a space game is ending world hunger

[misterchese]

Tanks this trick saved as* from throw rockets whit not enough fuel away

[avalanchas]

I'm a simple man, I see Kerbals, I click like

[Gamer_Kot]

*The Indian Space Agency also did like that in their Mangalyan mission*

[pyro-x]

I was never great at this game😢 but great bud keep it up 👍

[SALTrobot]

Unless your taking a brachistochrone trajectory to get there as fast as possible by burning towards duna/mars for half of the journey then decelerating for the second half. This is how interstellar travel will work pretty much.

[atlas_of_prescottia]

This worked great! Unfortunately, I'll be stuck on Mars until we get part two, when how to get back is explained.