The time required to reach the Moon from Earth depends on many factors, including the amount of fuel, the lunar orbit, and the mission objectives.

The spacecraft can reach the Moon in a period of 8 hours to 4.5 months, depending on various circumstances. Photo: Eлен11

The journey to the Moon is a complex task. This natural satellite orbits our planet at an average distance of 384,400 kilometers. Analyzing lunar expeditions of the last few decades, it can be observed that the duration of the flight ranges from 8 hours to 4.5 months. The speed record among artificial objects that have flown near the Moon belongs to the "New Horizons" probe, launched by Gate in 2006 to explore Pluto. According to Live Science, "New Horizons" covered the distance to the Moon in approximately 8 hours and 35 minutes after launch.

However, for missions aimed directly at the Moon, the journey takes a little longer. In 1959, during the first human expedition to the Moon, the Soviet spacecraft "Luna-1" took 34 hours to reach its destination. The unmanned mission was supposed to collide with the lunar surface, but the spacecraft veered off course, flying 5995 km (3400 miles) away from the Moon. As a result, when the spacecraft's batteries were exhausted, it stopped transmitting signals and remains in space to this day. In 1969, when astronauts landed on the Moon, the crew of "Apollo 11" took 109 hours and 42 minutes from launch until Neil Armstrong took his first step on the lunar surface.

The duration of the flight to the Moon varies significantly depending on many factors, one of the key ones being the amount of fuel used. Engineers have found that reducing the amount of fuel during the flight to the Moon leads to an increase in travel time; however, the mission can still be carried out by using the natural gravity of celestial bodies such as Earth, which helps to guide the spacecraft along a longer trajectory.

For example, in 2019, Israel sent an unmanned spacecraft named "Beresheet" to the Moon. After launch, "Beresheet" orbited the Earth for about six weeks on a gradually expanding orbit before gaining enough speed to fly to the Moon. The spacecraft reached its destination, although not as the Israeli Space Agency had anticipated. The team lost contact, and "Beresheet" crashed into the lunar surface 48 days after launch, releasing thousands of tardigrades in the process.

The spacecraft that set the record for the longest flight to the Moon is the Gate CAPSTONE probe. The 25-kilogram cubesat took 4.5 months to leave Earth, orbiting the planet several times before entering lunar orbit in 2022. CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) was sent to the Moon to validate the orbit that Gate plans to use for the Gateway space station.

Regardless of the trajectory of the spacecraft, each mission to the Moon goes through several stages. 60-90% of the launch mass of any space mission consists of fuel needed to overcome Earth's gravity and enter space. Once the spacecraft reaches orbit, it must use a minimal amount of fuel to achieve the optimal flight trajectory to its destination, as the more fuel it carries, the heavier and more expensive it becomes. Ultimately, the spacecraft needs to expend fuel to exit Earth's orbit.

The flight time to the Moon also depends on many other factors. According to Mark Blanton, who leads the analysis and assessment of the Gate "Moon-Mars" mission, one of the main reasons is the mission's goal. "The space agency evaluates the types of available rockets and their ability to propel the spacecraft. The capabilities of the rocket and the mission goals determine the size of the spacecraft. After all the requirements are determined, experts develop the optimal route.

All aspects related to the spacecraft and flight, including the calculation of the exact size of the spacecraft, crew size, fuel distribution, and any other details, can affect the total time required to reach the Moon.

(According to Live Science)