Instead of Martians invading Earth, it looks like humans will one day be taking over the red planet.
President Barack Obama said he wants to send people to Mars by the 2030s and plans to be around to witness the historic event.
The president outlined his goal in a CNN op-ed published Tuesday.
President Obama wrote the United States government is already working with private companies to build "new habitats that can sustain and transport astronauts on long-duration missions in deep space."
Obama said it would help fulfill his ultimate ambition of remaining on Mars for an extended time.
He is not elaborating on how much the mission will cost or how the U.S. will pay for it, but said it will require years of patience, testing and education.
The CNN article was released ahead of the president's visit to the Frontiers Conference on Science and Technology on Thursday.
Download the ABC2 News app for the iPhone, Kindleand Android.
