How long does it take for a commercial airliner to pass Jupiter?

Have you ever wondered how long it will take? Want a commercial airliner to fly around Jupiter? Although the idea seems absurd, let’s embark on this creative journey to discover how long it would take for a plane to circle the gas giant in our solar system.

But first we need to align the challenges and expectations of the journey. After all, Jupiter’s radius is about 139,822 kilometers and its length is about 439,264 kilometers. Compared to the world, is approximately 11 times larger in diameter and 300 times denser. These dimensions are one of the main obstacles to attempting to fly around it.

Another important factor to consider is Jupiter’s intense gravitational pull. The force is estimated to be 24.79 m/s², which is approximately 2.5 times the Earth’s gravity. For a commercial aircraft designed to operate in ground conditions, It would be almost impossible to face this huge gravitational force.

Technical complexities

Flying around Jupiter can be difficult due to many technical problems. The lack of air in Jupiter’s atmosphere means that an airplane cannot use aerodynamic lift like we do on Earth.. Instead, an aircraft would need constant thrust to keep moving.

Additionally, the extremes of deep space, such as the intense radiation and charged particles of Jupiter’s magnetic field, make any trip around the planet a major logistical challenge. Cold temperatures in space can also make it difficult for any aircraft to operate.

How much will it take?

While a continuous journey around our planet can take between 24 and 36 hours, a journey to Jupiter offers a very different scenario. If we had made a minimum landing for refueling, we would have had a non-stop journey of 48 or 60 hours..

But there is a trap when taking into account Jupiter’s size relative to the Earth. According to theory, there may be approximately 1,321 planets similar to ours. If we apply this equation incorrectly, we have 2,642 days of flight, which is equivalent to more than seven years of continuous travel to the surface of Jupiter.

To estimate the time it takes to orbit Jupiter, it is important to take into account its size rather than its diameter. Considering that Jupiter’s diameter is 11 times larger than Earth’s, it would take about 22 days for a commercial aircraft to make a complete orbit around it..

This raises an interesting question about how we might deal with a habitable planet the size of Jupiter.

Did you like the content? Stay up to date with more astronomical curiosities like this on TecMundo and take the opportunity to find out what the actual distance of other planets in the solar system is relative to Earth.