NASA is taking its final steps to launching astronauts from American soil again and the first steps in sending humans into deep space and Mars.

The space agency announced that Boeing Co. and SpaceX, both U.S. companies, have landed highly-sought-after Commercial Crew Transportation Contracts to build the spacecraft that will ferry astronauts from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to the International Space Station and back.

The contract covers a minimium of two missions and can be extended to cover up to six.

NASA has a deadline of launching astronauts from American soil by 2017, giving the two companies only a few years to finish their designs, build, test and certify their spacecraft.

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