Introduction

Transfer Calculations
  Hohman Transfer
  Free Return Trajectory
  Spiral
  Summary of Numerical Data

Launch Windows
  Calculations
  Possible Launch Dates
  Graphical Comparison

Sources

Trajectory
Launch Dates
 

Launch Windows

 
Opportunity Number  Launch from Earth  Land on Mars  Launch from Mars  Land on Earth 
2/9/02  9/23/02  10/6/03  6/22/04 
3/31/04  11/2/04  11/25/05  8/11/06 
5/20/06  12/22/06  1/14/08 10/30/08 
7/9/08  2/10/09  3/5/10  11/19/10 
8/28/10  4/1/11  4/24/12  1/8/13 
10/17/12  5/21/13  6/13/14  2/27/15 
12/6/14  7/10/15  8/2/16  4/8/17 
1/25/17  8/29/17  9/21/18  6/7/19 
3/16/19  10/18/19  11/10/20  7/27/21 
10  5/5/21  12/7/21  12/30/22  9/15/23 
11  6/24/23  1/26/24  2/18/25  11/4/25 
These dates are only correct to with in about a week because leap years were neglected and times were rounded in the calculations. However, this is an acceptable range of error for the purposes of long range planning since a launch any time within a couple of weeks of these dates would work. The trajectory could be slightly altered with in that span so that the spacecraft still reached its destination. 

 
 
mitCopyright © 2000 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments and questions to mission2004-students@mit.edu Last updated: 10 December, 2000