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Why conjunction plans meant long stays—and opposition plans short ones
Historical conjunction- and opposition-class missions were proposed architectures, not missions that flew. The trade was straightforward: conjunction plans spent much longer at Mars to keep both interplanetary legs relatively low-energy, while opposition plans shortened the stay but required a more demanding, propellant-intensive leg.[1][2][3]
| Plan | Trajectory in plain language | Approximate duration | Propellant trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conjunction-class | Low-energy trip from Earth to Mars, a long wait at Mars, then a low-energy return trip.[4] | About 500 days at Mars; about 1,000 days for the full expedition.[5] | Lower propellant demand than a purely propulsive opposition-class plan.[6] |
| Opposition-class | One low-energy transfer and one high-energy transfer, with a brief Mars stay between them.[7] | Typically under 30 days at Mars; about 600 days for the full mission.[8] | The high-energy leg raises propellant demand; all else equal, a purely propulsive version could require more than 10 times the propellant of a purely propulsive conjunction-class expedition.[9] |
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