BRITISH astronaut Major Tim Peake says man could walk on the surface of Mars within the next 20 years, thanks to leaps in commercial space travel.

The spaceman said the successful launch of Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy rocket marks a "very exciting" new era for space exploration.

2 Brit astronaut Tim Peake thinks man would step foot on the red planet sooner thank to Elon Musk Credit: Getty - Contributor

The current date set by governments for man's first steps on the red planet is in the late 2030s, but entrepreneurial exploits "could bring that date forward", according to Major Peake.

A project run by multiple space agencies called the Depp Space Getaway aims to launch manned missions to Mars from space.

Speaking at an event to raise money for charity Aerobility, the astronaut said construction "will probably start... in 2022".

He added: “That’s what I’m really looking forward to because that paves the way for both lunar landings and, because of the orbit it [will be] in, that paves the way for [a] Mars transportation system.

2 The world has long been captivated by the thought of walking on the red planet Credit: Getty - Contributor

SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket successfully launches Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster into space

“Humans on Mars – I think will be late 2030s. That’s what the government space agencies and the International Space Exploration Group are working towards.”

Speak

But Major Peak, who completed his mission on the International Space Station in 2016, said pioneering work in commercial space flight could blast humans to the planet's surface quicker.

Tesla billionaire Elon Musk launched the world's most powerful rocket currently in operation earlier this month.

It successfully flew from Cape Canaveral in Florida and had a red Tesla sports car strapped to its side.

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“What could throw a big bowling ball through all that is commercial space flight,” Major Peake added.

“We have seen the ambitions of people like Elon Musk, there are several other companies that also have ambitions to send people to Mars.

“I think that we will end up working very closely with these companies in public-private partnerships when we eventually go to Mars.

“It could be that some of those programmes bring that date forward. But, late 2030s would be a realistic time frame.”

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