Joe is Vanguard's global chief economist and head of Vanguard Investment Strategy Group. He's also a member of the senior portfolio management team in Vanguard Fixed Income Group.
Apollo missions took about three days to reach the moon. But the quickest trip to the moon was the New Horizons probe, which zipped past the moon in just 8 hours 35 minutes on its way to Pluto. However, the spacecraft didn't even slow down or approach lunar orbit. Tidal forces.
In April, I examined how long it takes to travel to the Moon. We took the fast-track with New Horizons Pluto mission, powering past Earthâs only natural satellite in a mere eight hours and 35 minutes. We also had the leisurely ion drive-propelled SMART-1 mission that trundled its way to the Moon for 13 months.n April, I examined how long it takes to travel to the Moon. We took the fast-track with New Horizons Pluto mission, powering past Earthâs only natural satellite in a mere eight hours and 35 minutes. We also had the leisurely ion drive-propelled SMART-1 mission that trundled its way to the Moon for 13 months.