Space Travel Time Calculator
Example: Moon @ rocket speed = 3 days
How long would it take to walk to the Moon or fly to Mars at rocket speed? This calculator shows travel times to several space destinations at speeds ranging from walking pace to the speed of light. It uses average distances because planets are always moving in their orbits.
Travel time to each destination
Travel Time
Distance
Speed
How We Calculate This
Travel time = distance ÷ speed. Distances are average values from NASA. The Moon distance is its mean orbital distance (384,400 km). Planetary distances use average Sun-planet distances minus Earth's average distance.
Methodology last reviewed: January 2022. How SparkCalc works
Sources: NASA Science: Our Solar System: Planets · NASA Science: Parker Solar Probe · NASA Science: Earth's Moon: Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do distances vary for planets?
Planets orbit the Sun at different rates, so their distance from Earth constantly changes. We use average distances for most planets. The Moon's distance is relatively stable.
What's the fastest spacecraft ever?
The Parker Solar Probe reached 635,266 km/h (0.064% light speed) in 2024. Voyager 1 travels at about 62,000 km/h. These are still tiny fractions of light speed.
Could we ever reach light speed?
According to Einstein's relativity, no object with mass can reach the speed of light. As you approach light speed, the energy required increases toward infinity.
How long did it take to reach the Moon?
Apollo 11 took about 3 days to reach the Moon in 1969, travelling at around 40,000 km/h for most of the journey.
What about Proxima Centauri?
Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to our Sun at 4.24 light years. Even at Voyager speeds, it would take over 70,000 years to reach it.
Related Calculators
You might also find these calculators helpful: Age on Other Planets, and Weight on Other Worlds.
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