Is it harder to launch a spacecraft back to the earth from Mars compared to the Moon?
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answers:
Jeffrey K say: Of course. Mars is much further and its gravity is stronger than the moon's.
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Adullah M say: Definitely since Mars is far bigger than the moon.
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nineteenthly say: Yes. Gravity is higher and there's an atmosphere, plus it's much further away.
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someg say: Yeah. Short distance and long distance.
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Bill-M say: Yes. Mars has higher Gravity than the Moon. takes larger rocket and more fuel.
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Ronald 7 say: It is actually harder to fly inwards from Mars towards the Sun to reach Earth because of simple Mechanics
Earth Orbits faster, so more power is needed to gain that extra velocity and then to slow down and land
Heading to Mars from earth just requires reaching its altitude for a start, no hurry anyway
That is why we have had so many successful Probes to the outer Solar System and even beyond
The escape Velocity of the Sun despite its Mass is 33, 000 mph you see
Escape Velocity of the Moon however is 1, 000 mph
So you do the Maths
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Nyx say: Certainly. not does Mars has a higher gravity than the Moon, but has an atmosphere - thin as it is, it's still something to factor in.
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Eric say: Anyone who believes that NASA sent half a dozen missions to the moon needs to have his head examined. If you think that they could do it 6 times in 7 years with 60s and 70s technology, but have been unable to repeat the feat in the past 46 years, I've got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.
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lenpol7 say: Probably; Because acceleration due to gravity on Mars is greater than on the Moon.
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ksgentleman70 say: Not only the gravity difference (as stated by another poster), but also the difficulty of navigating from one sun-orbiting planet to another. The moon is never more the a quarter-million miles away from the earth. Mars?.....can be on the other side of the sun while orbiting it.
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CarolOklaNola say: Yes, it is Mars has more mass than the Moon has, so escape velocity is higher for Mars.
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