The trip takes around seven months; a bit longer than astronauts currently stay on the International Space Station. The precise duration of each journey depends on when it is taken. Because both Mars and Earth's orbits are not perfectly circular, the time it takes to travel between them varies from six to eight months.

 

This flight will use a technique that will use the rotation of the Earth and it's orbit to propel the shuttle towards Mars. Our orbital speed around the sun is about 67,000 mph (107,000 km/h).

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Mars won't be the astronauts first stop. The capsule will first land on Phobos. Phobos is the innermost and larger of the two natural satellites of Mars. Then the second stage of the capsule will detach and make it's way to the surface of Mars. After data and samples have been collected, the Mars lander will rendezvous back with the second stage capsule and will head back to Earth.