How long to fly to the moon?

One of the main features of any person's character is curiosity. It is to her that humanity is obliged to the majority of scientific discoveries and the benefits of technological progress based on them. Since ancient times, a person with interest peered into the night sky, in which countless stars were shining, and the moon floated slowly through the sky. It is no wonder that since then the dream to visit any heavenly body has not left the person.

The invention of the telescope confirmed the assumption that the moon is at the minimum distance from the Earth. From that moment, science fiction writers sent fearless travelers to this heavenly body in their novels. It is interesting that the proposed methods fully corresponded to the spirit of their time: a cannonball, a cannon shell, a rocket based on a jet engine, an anti-gravitational substance, keivorit (G. Wells), etc. True, no one could tell exactly how much to fly to the moon.

Since then, quite a long time has passed. Although the term "much" is applicable to the duration of human life, but for history it was only a moment. Now the natural satellite of the Earth is increasingly being viewed not simply as an abstract goal of flight, but as a basis for the bases of the future. These can be settlements under a heavy-duty dome, sealed cities below the surface, automatic observatories and gas stations for spacecraft. Truly, the flight of fantasy has no boundaries. It's amazing that many people do not even guess how many are up to the moon.

Now the distance from the Earth to the satellite is calculated with high accuracy. Therefore, knowing the speed, you can calculate how much time to fly to the moon. It is known that the distance between the central points of these celestial bodies is 384,400 km. But since to determine the travel time you need to know the path between the surfaces, you need to subtract the values of the radii. At the Earth it is 6378 km, and at the satellite of 1738 km. The exact answer to the question: "How long to fly to the moon?" Assumes the need to take into account the characteristics of the orbit of our natural satellite. As is known, the trajectory of the Moon's motion is close to an oval (that is, elliptical), so the path length varies within as much as 12%, which is quite a lot. So, with the closest approach (perigee), the distance is 363,104 km, but at the far point (apogee) is already 405,696 km. Given the sum of their radii, subtract known values from a smaller number and, as a result, we get 354,988 km. This is the distance from the Earth to the lunar surface.

Proceeding from the above-stated distance, it is possible to tell absolutely precisely, how much to fly to the Moon. It remains only to take into account the speed of movement, with which it is planned to carry out such a desired journey. So, the flight time to the surface of a natural satellite depends on the chosen vehicle and occupies:

- 160 days when driving a car moving at a speed of about 100 km / h;

- accordingly, an aircraft flying at least 800 km per hour will require "only" 20 days;

- the ships of the American Apollo program reached the surface of our satellite for three days and four hours;

- Having developed the second space velocity at 11.2 km / s, it will be possible to cover the distance in 9.6 hours;

- turning into pure energy (remember the "Space Odyssey" by Arthur C. Clark) and moving at the speed of light (300 000 km / s), the goal can be achieved for an insignificant 1.25 s;

- Well, and the adherents of the statement: "Hurry on - you'll go on!" Will have to spend at least nine years, if continuously go the usual step at a speed of 5 km / h.

Obviously, the question: "How long to fly to the moon?" At the present time can already be considered resolved. It remains only to choose a vehicle, then, depending on the decision taken, stock up with the necessary patience, the required amount of provisions and go on the road.