WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Barack Obama said yesterday the nation is relying on private industry to find ways to make the “giant leap” to Mars, with human missions on the horizon by the 2030s.

The US president’s announcement confirmed a long-standing agreement to partner with commercial companies on future missions to deep space, and gave some new details on how such collaborations will play out in the coming years, particularly aboard the International Space Station.

“We have set a clear goal vital to the next chapter of America’s story in space: sending humans to Mars by the 2030s and returning them safely to Earth, with the ultimate ambition to one day remain there for an extended time,” Obama wrote in an essay posted by CNN.

“I’m excited to announce that we are working with our commercial partners to build new habitats that can sustain and transport astronauts on long-duration missions in deep space,” he added.

“These missions will teach us how humans can live far from Earth — something we’ll need for the long journey to Mars.”

Obama also touted an upcoming conference of top scientists, engineers, innovators and students later this week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a chance “to dream up ways to build on our progress and find the next frontiers.”

In August, NASA announced that six companies had been selected to work on deep-space habitats, and would receive a combined total of US$65 million over the next two years.

These companies include Bigelow Aerospace, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and NanoRacks.

Habitats, or expandable living quarters, may be erected on a planet’s surface or used to shelter astronauts travelling on a spaceship.

The issue of getting enough food and water into space to feed astronauts on a months or years-long mission to deep space has also been a key logistical problem, and little research has been done to show how this might work.

“Getting there will take a giant leap,” Obama wrote, alluding to words spoken July 21, 1969 by astronaut Neil Armstrong as he walked on the Moon. (“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”)

“But the first, small steps happen when our students — the Mars generation — walk into their classrooms each day,” Obama said.