In space, you’d think there would be no shortcuts. It’s space. It’s defined by its vastness, its emptiness, and, you’d imagine, its directness. You just have to go from here to there in a straight line, maybe maneuver around a planet or moon or something, but that’s about it. In reality, it doesn’t really work that way, especially when you have to consider fuel efficiency, resource allocation, and whether or not humans will be able to survive the long trek. That’s why there are researchers out there who are trying to figure out every shortcut they can to ensure a mission’s success. Videos by VICE A new study published in Acta Astronautica suggests there may be a significantly faster route to Mars, one that emulates the path of an asteroid. Right now, getting to Mars would take forever. When Earth and Mars line up in their closest configuration, in an event called a “Mars opposition,” which happens every 26 months, a one-way trip from here to the red planet still takes about 7 to 10 months.…