Quote:
Originally Posted by DaltonS
I've come to prefer the idea of the free-return semi-cycler. Instead of using an orbit based on the Earth-Mars synodic period (780 days), the ship would use a free-return orbit of exactly 2 years (730.5 days) which would require two 3.16 mps burns to leave and re-enter Earth orbit, where it stay for 49.5 days being refueled and refurbished for the next mission. According to my calculations, the taxis would require a ∆V of 5.68 mps between the cycler and Mars orbit each way because the transfer orbit crosses that of Mars at an angle of 21.6 degrees.
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I've come to a bit of a quandary. According to my calculations based on
these formulas, the time of flight from Earth to Mars orbit should be 127 days. However, according to
GURPS Mars
Quote:
With a delta-V of 3.2 miles per second (11,520 mph), the crew can follow a free-return path which will get them to Mars in 180 days; this speed is still low enough to make aerobraking at Mars practical.
Trajectories sidebar, p.32
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That's almost 8 weeks difference. Have I missed something?
Dalton “who is proud of his "One-Tangent Burn" spreadsheet” Spence