"We are planning to participate together with our European colleagues in the study of Mars, by the way, we are already taking part [in this exploration]," Putin said.
"I do not remember exactly, probably, in 2020 we plan together with them, with the Europeans, to make another attempt [to land on Mars]. This time we will be making a landing system. And I hope that we will do it well, we will succeed," the president added.
The most ambitious goal of the bill is a manned flight to Mars in 2033. In the draft budget for this year, NASA plans to allocate $19.5 billion for the space project.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is one of the biggest proponents for the human impetus to go to Mars. "There is a strong humanitarian argument for making life multiplanetary in order to safeguard the existence of humanity," he has stated. If Earth goes to hell in a handbasket, the human race could survive on new worlds.
The NASA Authorization Act is expected to be signed by President Trump when it arrives on his desk.