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The Mathematics of a Trip to Mars?

Posted by Cliff on from the shouldn't-it-be-more-complex-than-this dept.

hakonhaugnes wonders: "Since trips to Mars seems commonplace (NASA has sent one every 26 months), I thought it made sense to try to understand how the interplanetary trajectory is calculated. NASA's page is deploringly void of intricate details. I found this excellent page, but it still left me feeling that I was missing something. Surely the calculus must go beyond two bodies (mars/earth)? (It seems there are commercial MATLAB scripts available but at $150 it went beyond the defensible to satisfy my curiosity). Are there any curious Slashdot readers with the usual great insight into how to calculate a trip to Mars?"

5 of 373 comments (clear)

  1. [Meta] Re:Numerical integration by jdray · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Whomever modded this guy Offtopic should be flailed with MetaMod death rays. Or something.

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    The Spoon
    Updated 6/28/2011
  2. Somewhat offtopic, but... by meditation_dude · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I hope we don't send humans there, at least not until we're ready to inhabit other worlds. It's ridiculously expensive and NASA et al go hysterical when humans are at risk anyway. Machines can get plenty of data, even more than humans in fact! Sending humans is mostly just nationalism and something for the media to latch on to (because their audience can't/won't understand science).

  3. I propose an alternative by Dunbal · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Are there any curious Slashdot readers with the usual great insight into how to calculate a trip to Mars?"

          How about the mathematics involved in financing a manned trip to mars. Surely this problem is even more complex?

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  4. Dear Mr. Carmack by TurtlesAllTheWayDown · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    It seems there are commercial MATLAB scripts available but at $150 it went beyond the defensible to satisfy my curiosity.

    I don't care how well/badly Doom 3 is faring in the stores... I think you can afford a measely $150.

    Yeah, a pure F/OSS Mars trajectory solution would be nice, but once in awhile you have to bite the bullet, and splurge a little.

    OTOH, you could probably justify a Phobos shot as R&D for Id,
    if you can just keep those engines from burning out...

  5. response by rotagivan · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Dude, if you find this post I know your brain must be totally fried after reading all this. So please calm down, drink a glass of water, 5 cups of coffee, 3 red bulls, smoke a pack of cigarettes, and GO GO GO!