NASA is firm in its ambition to put people on Mars in the 2030s. But it's a very long journey to the Red Planet, so it's seeking your help to create habitats that can keep its astronauts alive.

The U.S. space agency announced on April 20 its call for help to build deep space habitats to give astronauts a home during long-duration missions, such as a trip to Mars. It highlighted the Orion crew spacecraft and Space Launch System as the first primary components of establishing humans in deep space.

"With these transportation systems progressing toward their maiden flight in 2018, NASA now is looking toward investments in deep space habitation," NASA said in its announcement of Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-2 (NextSTEP-2), the project soliciting concept studies and prototypes for space habitats, advanced propulsions, and small satellites.

NextSTEP-2 vouches for how NASA is embracing public-private partnerships in its space missions. U.S. companies, universities, and nonprofit groups seeking to apply should submit their proposals by June 15, 5 p.m. EDT, as well as a notice of intent by May 13.

The winning proposal will be integrated in the Orion spacecraft, geared for travel to the fourth rock from the sun in about 20 years from now.

In support of its Journey to Mars program, NASA is seeking design ideas for an advanced Mars satellite to provide advanced imaging and communications along with robotic science probe.

Astronaut John Grunsfeld of the Science Mission Directorate of NASA shared that they currently rely on orbiting science missions to perform dual service - doing measurements and serving as communication relays.

"[B]ut we can't depend on them to last forever," Grunsfeld explained. "This new orbiter will use cutting-edge technology to revitalize our ability to continue to explore Mars and support transformative science, including a potential sample return mission in the future."

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, is planning to award subcontracts worth $400,000 each in June, with the concept studies for the spacecraft to be completed over a period of four months.

NASA assured that it remains on track in its manned Mars mission, with the projected launch of the Insight lander in 2018 and the design and construction of the Mars 2020 rover.

It continues to solicit design ideas from the public, including a 3D-Printed Mars Habitat Challenge last year that sought to envision how future habitat on the Red Planet would look like. Bagging the top prize was the Mars Ice House, a sleek series of nested ice shells banking on Mars' liquid water and low temperatures to build a "multi-layered pressurized radiation shell of ice."

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