In a bid to fly astronauts commercially from the United States by 2017, NASA has awarded contracts worth $6.8 billion to private aerospace companies SpaceX and Boeing.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced the winners during a news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida after weeks of anticipation.“We’re one step closer to launching our astronauts on U.S. soil in American spacecraft,” Bolden said during the conference.

Since retiring its space shuttles in 2011, NASA has relied on costly Russian Soyuz spacecraft trips to send astronauts to the International Space Station (roughly $70 million per seat).By partnering with prominent U.S. aerospace companies, NASA will be closer to fulfilling the commitment President Obama made to ending U.S. reliance on other nations to get into space.“I’m giddy today, I will admit,” Bolden said.“I couldn’t be happier.”

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NASA will utilize SpaceX’sDragon Capsule and Boeing’s CST-100 capsule to ferry astronauts from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station. The agency awarded Boeing $4.2 billion and SpaceX $2.6 billion. The companies will have to meet five certification milestones, as well as perform one test to theISS with a NASA crewmemberaboard. Once given the green light, they will conduct at least two and no more than six missions to the space station. “We are counting on them to deliver our most precious cargo,”Kathy Lueders, deputy program manager for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said during the press conference, adding that the agency won’t sacrifice safety to meet its 2017 goal.

SpaceX is run by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, whose other successful ventures include electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors. The California-based company already holds a $1.3 billion contract from NASA to ship cargo to the International Space Station, according to CNBC.

AstronautMike Fincke noted how exciting the announcement was.“Today we’re unveiling two new spacecraft,” he said.“It boggles the mind to think of the possibilities of what we’re going to accomplish.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MORE: Soyuz Spacecraft Launch, March 29, 2013

This image provided by NASA-TV shows the view from the Soyuz capsule as it approaches the International Space Station on Thursday, March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/NASA)