mars
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Russia will continue to join study of Mars with Europeans, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday at a meeting with children in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Russia will continue to participate in a joint study of Mars with Europeans, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday at a meeting with children in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"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.