On Sunday, Elon Musk said SpaceX is shifting its near-term focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon.
Moon First, Mars Later: Musk Explains SpaceX’s Shift
Taking to X, Musk said SpaceX has already pivoted toward developing a self-growing lunar city, estimating it could be achieved in less than 10 years, compared with 20 years or more for Mars.
“The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars,” Musk wrote.
He said that launch opportunities to Mars occur only once every 26 months and require roughly six months of travel.
On the other hand, missions to the Moon can launch about every 10 days with a two-day journey. “This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city,” Musk said.
SpaceX still plans to build a city on Mars and expects to begin that effort within the next five to seven years, Musk said, adding, “But the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster.”
SpaceX Targets 2027 Uncrewed Moon Landing
The comments follow a Wall Street Journal report that SpaceX has told investors it plans to prioritize lunar missions over its long-stated Mars ambitions.
The company is reportedly targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed Moon landing.
Lunar Race Heats Up As Artemis Advances
The shift comes as the U.S. faces intensifying competition from China to return humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972.
NASA last week completed a key test for its Artemis II mission, which could launch as early as March and carry astronauts farther into space than ever before.
The renewed lunar focus also coincides with SpaceX’s agreement to acquire xAI, a deal valuing the combined companies at roughly $1.25 trillion and fueling speculation about a potential SpaceX public offering.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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