U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner wants to explore Mars.

Maybe not in person, but the Republican authored an amendment to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act, a bill sponsored by Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and passed by the full Senate Friday, Feb. 17, that indicates an interest. Gardner’s amendment calls on the space agency to develop a plan to reach Mars with specific timelines and benchmarks, so Congress can hold the agency accountable and provide oversight.

Gardner, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, had a second amendment, authorizing NASA to consider satellite servicing options for future programs, added to the act as well. That amendment encourages NASA to look at servicing and refurbishing existing satellites to extend their lifespan and capabilities.

“Aerospace plays a major role in Colorado’s economy, and this legislation will benefit the thousands of aerospace jobs in Colorado,” Gardner said in a statement. “Supporting a manned mission to Mars by requiring NASA to develop timelines and milestones is an important component in ensuring we see a successful mission.”

Since entering the Senate and serving on the Senate committee, Gardner has worked to support Colorado’s space industry. In June 2016, the Senate approved S.2943, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, which included language Gardner authored that allows the Department of Defense to purchase rockets from any certified launch provider through Dec. 31, 2022, so long as the provider offers the best value.

That amendment promotes competition, protects U.S. national security and “paves the way for assured access to space, which is critical to detect missiles, transmitting secure communication, and gathering intelligence,” according to  a news release from Gardner’s office. It is estimated the amendment could potentially save the Defense department as much as $5 billion.

Gardner also authored the Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act, bipartisan legislation introduced with Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., to improve efforts to predict and mitigate the effects of space weather events, which can have significant economic and security implications on Earth and in space.

The legislation was designed to strengthen space weather research and response by defining clear roles and responsibilities to the agencies that study and predict space weather events, including NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense.