Congress have approved a budget that will allow NASA to build homes on the surface of Mars by 2018.
The agency’s budget has been increased by adding $1.3 billion in 2016, which will allow NASA to build a space habitat for future astronauts on the red planet.
Insideedition.com reports:
BYPASS THE CENSORS
Sign up to get unfiltered news delivered straight to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe any time. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use
According to Popular Science, Congress has directed NASA to use $55 million if its $19.3 billion budget to begin the habitat.
NASA has 180 days from December 18, the day it was awarded the funding, to produce a status report on the program to Congress.
Congress has given NASA until 2018 to build a livable prototype.
The agency’s biggest challenges in creating the habitat include protecting astronauts from radiation and crafting a light-weight territory.
NASA hopes to begin testing the habitat between the Earth and moon by the 2020s and to conduct crewed missions to Mars by the 2030s.
