As the U.S. looks ahead to a new era in space exploration, Elon Musk, an esteemed interenet entrepreneur, has his goals set on having a major impact on what’s to come. “The long-time aspiration of SpaceX is Mars,” Musk, co-founder of SpaceX, told BBC science correspondent David Shukman in May 2011.

Ultimately, Musk’s plans include a multi-planetary system, one “that allows for huge numbers of people and cargo to be transported to Mars to establish a self-sustaining civilization.”

To hear Musk share his aspirations and why he believes the private sector will make space travel cheaper and safer, check out the BBC interview below. To learn more about SpaceX, visit spacex.com, and to stay in tune with their latest developments follow SpaceX on Twitter, @spacexer.

To view the BBC interview, visit bbc.co.uk or click on the image below.