--- title: NASA’s Chief: ‘Survival Of Human Race’ Depends On Mission To Mars description: NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden grabbed the public's attention after speaking at the Humans 2 Mars Summit. canonical: https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/ author: TIME Video article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-04-24T20:07:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T08:52:38.112Z article:section: Science og:title: NASA’s Chief: Survival Of Human Race Depends On Mission To Mars og:description: NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden grabbed the public's attention after speaking at the Humans 2 Mars Summit. og:url: https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blteeeaf5f7d805c6f4/69868c6935ba6fd3abc01b2d/nasa-1280x720.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1280 og:image:height: 720 og:image:alt: NASA_Chief og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: NASA’s Chief: Survival Of Human Race Depends On Mission To Mars twitter:description: NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden grabbed the public's attention after speaking at the Humans 2 Mars Summit. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blteeeaf5f7d805c6f4/69868c6935ba6fd3abc01b2d/nasa-1280x720.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # NASA Chief: Humanity's Future Depends On Mission To Mars > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Future Proof: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Future Proof is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Making sense of the climate and energy economy. Future Proof examines the forces transforming energy and climate, and what those changes mean for business, technology, policy and the global economy. Senior correspondent Justin Worland goes beyond traditional climate coverage to connect the energy transition to the bigger decisions reshaping companies, markets and society. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=40b3df06-ebe8-4f0d-aefd-d01197d3d140&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Friday (1x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Justin Worland, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Senior leaders shaping the climate transition. An engaged audience of executives and decision-makers spanning operating companies, finance, policy, consulting, communications and media. ### TIME Future Proof: key statements * Future Proof is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Future Proof is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=40b3df06-ebe8-4f0d-aefd-d01197d3d140&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/subscribe?i=40b3df06-ebe8-4f0d-aefd-d01197d3d140&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's climate and energy newsletter? Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=40b3df06-ebe8-4f0d-aefd-d01197d3d140&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1) ## Video: NASA's Chief: 'Survival Of Human Race' Depends On Mission To Mars [Watch (HLS stream): NASA's Chief: 'Survival Of Human Race' Depends On Mission To Mars](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jXF93nNv.m3u8) (1:52)  _Published 2014-04-24. The idea of human extinction can really grab headlines, which may be why the Human 2 Mars Summit and NASA administrator Charles Bolden are suddenly making headlines. Wednesday, NASA’s chief laid out his plan for putting humans on Mars by 2030._ by [TIME Video](https://time.com/author/time-video/) ## TIME Video Apr 24, 2014 8:07 PM UTC by [TIME Video](https://time.com/author/time-video/) ## TIME Video Apr 24, 2014 8:07 PM UTC NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden grabbed the public’s attention at the [Humans 2 Mars Summit](http://h2m2014.exploremars.org%20) laying out a multi-billion dollar plan to get humans on the surface of Mars by 2030. “If this species is to survive indefinitely, we need to become a multi-planet species,” Bolden said. The public doesn’t think that’s unlikely. A poll funded by Explore Mars and Boeing showed that 75% believe that people will land on Mars by 2033\. Chris Carberry, executive director of Explore Mars, said “The survey results suggest Americans are ready for a renewed dedication to exploring the solar system.” ## Transcript The idea of human extinction can really grab the public attention which maybe why the Human 2 Mars Summit and NASA administrative, Charles Bolden are suddenly making headlines. Get a picture of a star that used to be but is no longer. One of these days that's gonna be the story of our star, the sun. If the species is to survive Indefinitely, we need to become a multi planet species. Wednesday, NASA's chief laid out his plan for putting human on Mars by 2030. It's a three step plan that, according to space. com, will take at least three major missions, reguire 200 to 400 metric tons of equipment be launched into space, and will cost billions of dollars. Exactly how many billions of dollars, Bolden didn't say. Billions of dollars that NASA, right now, does not have. NBC notes, NASA currently makes up 0. 5 % of the federal spending plan, or just shy of $ 18 billion annually. Back when Apollo 11 landed on the moon, NASA was receiving 4 % of the federal budget. Boden told the audience that the Humans Tomorrow Summit, just 1 % of the federal budget would be a gold mine. The Congressional Budget Office has said in the past, however, NASA is looking for gold in the wrong place, claiming if humans were taking out of the human space exploration program, it would save $ 73 billion in just eight years time. And a Washington Post writer echoes the case for unmanned spacecrafts. The crafts are lighter and easier to land, there are no worries about life support, and there is no need for a return trip. And robots dont get cancer or radiation poisoning. But Bolden says getting humans to Mars is the goal, not an unmanned spacecraft. And according to a poll by Explore Mars, The public agrees. The poll foudn that 67 % of Americans agree the US should send robots as well as humans to Mars. Thanks for watching, I'm Jamal Andrews. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/"},"headline":"NASA Chief: Humanity's Future Depends On Mission To Mars","datePublished":"2014-04-24T20:07:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-01T08:52:38.112Z","description":"NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden says it's vital we become a \"multi-planet species\"","url":"https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/","keywords":["NASA","Space","Mars","future"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blteeeaf5f7d805c6f4/69868c6935ba6fd3abc01b2d/nasa-1280x720.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Video","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-video/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blteeeaf5f7d805c6f4/69868c6935ba6fd3abc01b2d/nasa-1280x720.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"NASA_Chief","caption":"Charles Bolden at the Humans to Mars Summit 2014 April 22, 2014","creditText":"Win McNamee—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/nasa/","name":"NASA"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/","name":"NASA Chief: Humanity's Future Depends On Mission To Mars"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"NASA's Chief: 'Survival Of Human Race' Depends On Mission To Mars","description":"The idea of human extinction can really grab headlines, which may be why the Human 2 Mars Summit and NASA administrator Charles Bolden are suddenly making headlines. Wednesday, NASA’s chief laid out his plan for putting humans on Mars by 2030.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/jXF93nNv/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-04-24T16:52:08.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jXF93nNv.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/","duration":"PT1M52S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/76178/nasa-chief-humanitys-future-depends-on-mission-to-mars/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```