Pelorus Voyages departure schedules are fixed by orbital mechanics, not by policy. Each leg of an expedition itinerary operates within a planetary transfer window — a period when the relative positions of two bodies allow a fuel-efficient trajectory between them. Outside that window, a transfer either requires significantly more fuel, takes substantially longer, or in some cases is not practically achievable with current propulsion technology. The vessel cannot hold station indefinitely while waiting for late passengers; every hour of delay burns fuel budgeted for the transit itself.

The Earth-Mars transfer window opens approximately every 26 months, determined by the synodic period of Mars relative to Earth. Pelorus Voyages schedules quarterly Inner Planets Survey and Grand Solar Tour departures during favorable alignment periods, but these are not arbitrary calendar dates — they are the days when the orbital geometry is right. Missing the Mars departure leg does not mean catching the next ship in a few days. The next scheduled Pelorus Voyages departure from Mars Colony 1 may be three months away.

Within a multi-stop itinerary, each leg compounds on the last. A two-hour hold at the Mars departure ripples forward: the Venus transfer window narrows, the Ceres approach timing shifts, and the Saturn ring transit — which requires the vessel to be positioned precisely relative to the ring plane — may be missed entirely. The schedule is not conservative padding; every connection is load-bearing.

Departure windows at each stop are typically four to eight hours wide. The exact window is published in the voyage manifest issued at Earth departure. Passengers should treat the muster deadline as the latest possible moment to board, not a target. Pelorus Voyages recommends building personal buffer into all surface excursions: return to the vessel at least 30 minutes before the check-in deadline, not at it.

No exceptions are made for late passengers regardless of reason. This policy protects the 200 or more other passengers whose itinerary depends on the same departure window. A passenger who misses departure should contact the Pelorus Voyages expedition coordinator at that stop immediately and refer to the missed departure policy for available options.
