Study suggests 153-day Mars round trip is possible in 2031
Updated
Updated · Livescience.com · May 5
Study suggests 153-day Mars round trip is possible in 2031
6 articles · Updated · Livescience.com · May 5
Marcelo de Oliveira Souza's Acta Astronautica paper says a mission could leave Earth on 20 April 2031, reach Mars in 33 days, stay 30 days and return by 20 September.
Using geometry from early near-Earth asteroid orbit estimates, he found 2031 the only viable rapid-transfer window among 2027, 2029 and 2031, with a lower-energy 226-day option also identified.
The concept remains theoretical because required launch speeds of about 27 km/s, or 16.5 km/s for the slower option, depend on future spacecraft, propulsion and safe Mars arrival systems.
Will asteroid-inspired trajectories or nuclear rockets be the first to carry humans to Mars in the next decade?
Does a five-month Mars mission trade radiation risk for even deadlier, high-speed engineering challenges?
With a five-month trip in sight, what is now the single biggest obstacle to a permanent human Mars colony?
Revolutionary 153-Day Mars Round Trip Enabled by 2031 Opposition Trajectory Breakthrough
Overview
On November 13, 2025, Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket carrying NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft, demonstrating the power of commercial heavy-lift rockets for complex planetary missions. The mission inserted ESCAPADE into a unique Earth-proximity orbit, where it will wait until fall 2026 to use a gravity assist for its journey to Mars, arriving in 2027. The flawless recovery of New Glenn's first stage booster highlighted Blue Origin's reusable launch technology, positioning the company as a strong competitor in the heavy-lift market. Meanwhile, a breakthrough in orbital mechanics identified a 2031 Mars opposition trajectory enabling a rapid 153-day round trip, offering a promising path for future fast crewed Mars exploration supported by advanced reusable rockets.