Bill Nelson actually said...

"How do we develop the technologies, the techniques, the systems, the life-support systems, the propulsion systems that will get us to a foreign body such as Mars with a crew and return them safely?"

"I think if we don't, if we really do, or in between, we shouldn't do things differently at the Moon."

"This partnership is not only good for the commercial space industry but will allow NASA to focus on deep space exploration--specifically, on the path to Mars."

"The goal is to go to Mars. The goal is to get NASA beyond low Earth orbit."