President Obama wrote in a new Op-Ed on CNN that the United States is partnering with private companies to send humans on an expedition to Mars and back by the 2030s.
The president said the ultimate goal is to make it possible to one day remain on Mars for an extended period of time.
Getting to Mars will require continued cooperation between government and private innovators, and we're already well on our way.
Within the next two years, private companies will for the first time send astronauts to the International Space Station.