Newsletters
U.S. billionaire Elon Musk said SpaceX has shifted its focus from Mars to the Moon, aiming to build what he described as a “self-growing city” on the lunar surface.
Musk said the Mars mission has been postponed, as constructing a city on the Moon could be completed in a shorter timeframe.
In a post on the social media platform X, Musk said SpaceX has redirected its priorities toward a project that could be achieved in less than 10 years.
“For those who don’t know, SpaceX has shifted its focus toward building a self-growing city on the Moon,” Musk said, adding that a Mars mission could take over 20 years.
Musk said travel to Mars requires a six-month journey and can only occur every 26 months when planetary alignment allows, while the Moon can be reached every 10 days with a two-day journey. He said this would allow a Moon city to be completed faster than a Mars city.
Musk added that SpaceX’s efforts to establish a Mars city would begin in about seven years, but stressed that the company’s priority is securing the future of civilization, which he said can be achieved more quickly on the Moon.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, SpaceX informed investors that it aims to land on the Moon in March 2027.
The report said the company also told investors it would continue its efforts by acquiring xAI to support space-based artificial intelligence data centers.
The report added that Musk detailed his intention to support the establishment of a sustainable Moon base.
Several years ago, NASA signed a contract with SpaceX to develop the Starship spacecraft, which is designed to rendezvous with an agency vehicle in lunar orbit, collect astronauts and transport a U.S. crew to the Moon’s surface.
Musk had previously said SpaceX would focus directly on Mars, and the company announced plans to send five Starship spacecraft to Mars by the end of 2026.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
3 min read
