How long should it take in game to get to Duna?

[Dragonmaster525]

Just started playing about 2 weeks ago, and I've been watching a lot of videos and read a lot of tutorials about getting to Duna. I have been able to do it successfully using a 45 Degree angle from Kerbin. There is something that I have been wondering that I have not been able to find out yet though: How long in game time should it take to get to Duna? Both of my attempts took around 300 days to get to Duna, and for some reason I feel like this is much slower than others I have seen. Should I be able to get to Duna in a shorter amount of in game time?

[diomedea]

Nice question.

The most efficient flight (less fuel required) Kerbin-Duna takes 264 kerbin days, it is a interplanetary Hohmann transfer (elliptical orbit) done at the correct time (during a "launch window"). Launch windows can be found solving the Lambert's problem, but much more easy to use one of the very good tools that already do (like Alexmoon's "Launch Window Planner").

Another approach is the "low-thrust transfer orbit", (spiral orbit), takes longer and requires more fuel, but doable with a small engine. I know no tool able to assist in performing that maneuver in KSP. But the same theory is used to compute the theoretical "continuous-thrust transfer", that would instead be the fastest possible and is performed continuosly accelerating towards the destination for half the transfer, then continuosly decelerating until arrival. Time required is tied to the acceleration of the spaceship, T~ 2*SQRT(d/(2*a)). So, if you have a lot of acceleration, you could theoretically get to speedlight and then decelerate.

More on interplanetary flights here, in case the subject is of interest.

[Red Iron Crown]

300 days is not an overly long Duna transfer. The least-fuel transfer is a bit shorter than that (as diomedea mentions), and you can spend more fuel to shorten the time of the transfer if that is a concern.

[Laie]

Alexmoon's "Launch Window Planner"

Try this tool. Toy around with it. Change the default settings so calculates less than three years worth of data at a time, and/or only travel times of less than X days, and so on. This will answer your original question, and a dozen others you didn't know how to ask.

[daffy]

I think the best I've done is about 270 days (give or take). Using one of the 'Transfer Window Planers' will really help you, by giving some options. I use AluxMun's Launch Window Planner. It's pretty simple to understand, good easy interface and allows you many options as to when you want to leave, where you want to go, how many days you need...etc. You can basically buy Dv with days or the other way around....If that makes any sense. (It does to me but that doesn't say a lot). Basically, you should pack a few pair of underwear, some long pants and a good book...or three for the trip. It's a long one.

[Mitchz95]

It took one of my ships about eighty Earth days to make the trip.