SpaceX chief Elon Musk announced Friday a strategic pivot prioritizing the development of a “self-growing city” on the Moon over immediate Mars missions, citing faster timelines and logistical advantages as key drivers for the shift.
In a post on social media platform X, Musk explained the rationale behind redirecting resources: “For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years.”
He stressed that the company’s core vision remains unchanged, adding: “The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars.”
Musk highlighted the Moon’s proximity as a critical factor, noting: “It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city.”
Despite the lunar emphasis, he affirmed ongoing Mars efforts: “That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster.”
The announcement contrasts with Musk’s earlier dismissal of lunar pursuits as a “distraction” in January 2025, when he declared: “No, we’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction.”
Recent reports indicate SpaceX aims for an uncrewed Moon mission by March 2027, leveraging its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster.
This lunar focus aligns with NASA’s Artemis program, under which SpaceX secured a $4 billion contract for human landings, amid intensifying US-China rivalry to return astronauts to the Moon this decade — the first since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Musk clarified funding streams, stating: “The vast majority of SpaceX revenue is the commercial Starlink system,” with NASA contributions expected at under five percent this year.
The pivot follows SpaceX’s blockbuster acquisition of AI firm xAI in a deal pegging SpaceX’s valuation above $1 trillion, potentially fueling space-based data centers. Company insiders suggest an initial public offering could raise up to $50 billion later in 2026.
