Final answer:
The trip to Mars on the orbit of minimal energy, one-way, would take just under 3 years. Mars' semimajor axis in astronomical units is 1.52 AU, which means it is about 50% as far from the Sun as Earth is.
Step-by-step explanation:
The trip to Mars on the orbit of minimal energy, one-way, would take just under 3 years. This is because the timing is crucial, and we must leave Earth at the correct time to arrive at the orbit of Mars when it is at its aphelion. This opportunity occurs approximately every 2 years.
We can calculate Mars' average distance from the Sun using Kepler's third law. Mars' orbital period is 1.88 Earth years, and according to the equation for Kepler's third law, this equals the cube of its semimajor axis. By solving the equation, we find that Mars' semimajor axis in astronomical units must be 1.52 AU, which means Mars is about 50% as far from the Sun as Earth is.
under 3 years it would a trip to Mars take on the orbit of minimal energy (one way).