The Speed of Constant-Thrust Space Travel

A brachistochrone trajectory — accelerate for the first half of the trip, flip, and decelerate for the second — collapses interplanetary travel times from months to days, if you have an engine that can sustain the burn. This looks at what constant thrust actually buys you across the solar system, from Starship to the Epstein Drive.

References

• Project Rho, fusion engine list — the Epstein Drive
• Project Rho, torchships and brachistochrone trajectories

Models

• "SpaceX Starship Ship 24 & Booster 7 V4" by Clarence365, CC BY 4.0
• "MCRN Tachi (The Expanse)" by Jakub Vildomec, CC BY
• "Saturn" by NestaEric, CC BY 4.0
• "MCRN Donnager (The Expanse)" by Chris Kun
• "Epstein's Yacht (The Expanse)" by Chris Kun