Trump said the U.S. would pursue its “manifest destiny into the stars” by sending astronauts to plant the flag on Mars. His remarks were met with enthusiasm from SpaceX founder Musk, who gave a thumbs-up to the cameras.

President Trump vowed to send American astronauts to the planet Mars in his inaugural address, envisioning a moment when the U.S. flag is planted on Martian soil. “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars,

During his inaugural address, President Donald Trump said he wants 'American astronauts' on Mars. Where does a future Mars mission currently stand?

In his prepared remarks, Trump, a longtime backer of U.S.-led space exploration and exploitation, singled out Mars and left the moon hanging.

Pure-play space stocks flew higher on Tuesday, in a rally described as exuberance about the sector after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

President Donald Trump made a bold promise to America minutes after taking the Oath of Office: pledging that an American flag would be planted on Mars.

Space stocks soared during Tuesday’s trading session, lifted by President Trump’s comments championing American space exploration during his inauguration speech Monday. “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars,

Trump’s Mars pledge elicited a huge grin and enthusiastic double thumbs up from billionaire and top Mars colonization enthusiast Elon Musk, who has been pushing his Mars colony agenda for nearly a decade via his SpaceX company.

"Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs and pioneers. The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts," Trump says.

The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation, one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations and carries our flag

“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,” said Trump, much to the delight of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who threw his hands into the air upon hearing the declaration.