Humans will be on Mars within 20 years, British astronaut says

Humans could be exploring Mars within the next 20 years thanks to commercial space flight entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, the Independent reports, citing British astronaut Tim Peake. 

The successful launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket by Mr Musk’s SpaceX firm earlier this month marked a new era of space exploration which is “very, very exciting”, according to Major Peake.

He said government space agencies had estimated humans would land on Mars in the late 2030s, but that commercial space flight “could bring that date forward”.

The astronaut also believes the Deep Space Gateway, a space station project by multiple agencies from which manned missions to Mars could be launched, will be key to the future of human exploration in space. 

“We are entering this new era of space exploration which is very, very exciting,” said Major Peake, who completed his mission on the International Space Station in 2016.

“The Deep Space Gateway will probably start to be built in 2022. 

“That’s what I’m really looking forward to because that paves the way for both lunar landings and, because of the orbit it [will be] in, that paves the way for [a] Mars transportation system.

“Humans on Mars – I think will be late 2030s. That’s what the government space agencies and the International Space Exploration Group are working towards.”