Elon Musk-owned SpaceX has inked a new deal with NASA to put its spacecraft on Martian soil by 2018. The collaboration marks a new phase in space exploration where the private and public sector are joining hands to conquer the Red Planet. NASA is looking to send humans to Mars by the 2030s.

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SpaceX is looking to send its Red Dragon space craft, a variant of Dragon 2 craft, to Mars. The spacecraft is capable of carrying cargo as well as humans. However, the 2018 excursion is likely to be unmanned. NASA said that it was collaborating with SpaceX to facilitate "sending astronauts to the Red Planet in the 2030s."

NASA will be responsible for providing technical know how for the project, while SpaceX will provide data for entering, descending and landing on Mars.

SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, is looking forward to an ambitious future. It is expected to unveil its plans for the Mars Colonial Transporter (MCT) at the International Astronautical Conference in Mexico. The firm eventually plans to colonize Mars as a backup to the Earth.

Dragon 2 is likely to use Falcon Heavy, which will enable it to transport two to four tons of payload to the surface of Mars.

SpaceX also announced that it has signed a new contract with the Air Force. The contract is said to be worth $82 million and will involve launching a GPS satellite for the aerial warfare division of the US armed forces. After United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp., SpaceX is the only firm to get clearance to compete in "top secret" missions. ULA had been criticized for high prices owing to their monopoly.

SpaceX is the brainchild of Elon Musk, who also successfully founded PayPal and Tesla. He bankrolled SpaceX with his personal funds.

TagsNASA, Mars, Red Dragon, Tesla, Elon Musk, PayPal