An inside tour of NASA's Johnson Space Center robotics design area

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Robots, prototypes and ingenuity are scattered everywhere in the corner of Building 9 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"I've been at NASA for almost 30 years now and it is -- this is the peak of excitement that we've had," said Lucien Junkin, chief engineer of the space exploration vehicle at NASA.

The agency is on a mission to go back to the moon by 2024 and use it as a "backyard" of experimentation, according to Junkin. The goal is to use what they learn and apply it towards a maiden voyage to Mars.

Watch the video above for an inside tour of NASA Johnson Space Center's robotics design area as part of "The Briefing Room"'s special coverage of the Democratic debates in Houston, Texas.