Funny how we consider that "close" in terms of space. It's such a massive distance we can't really comprehend it and it's only the first planet out from us. Even at the speed of light it would take 3 minutes+ to get there! I'm no spacengineer but that's like 186k miles per sec. Or something. Space is big. Really big.

[–] Apeman42@lemmy.world 22 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Bigger even than 1989 Belgian techno anthem "Pump up the Jam".

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

But is it bigger than the pecs on the early internet viral sensation Techno Viking?

[–] elbarto777@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago

For comparison, you can travel around the Earth's equator several times per second at the speed of light.

[–] niktemadur@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Also, the comparatively small and weak gravitational field of Mars has made it a most challenging target in the solar system, behind only Mercury and the Sun itself.
Of course, through trial and error, with better know-how and tech, they have gotten increasingly competent and even reliable at the task.