Washington, United States. Elon Musk said SpaceX has shifted its focus to building a “self-growing city” on the moon, which he said could be achieved in less than 10 years. He said SpaceX still intends to start on a city on Mars within five to seven years.
Shift in destination priorities
Musk wrote on his X social media platform that while plans for Mars remain, “the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster.”
His comments followed a Wall Street Journal report that said SpaceX has told investors it would prioritize going to the moon and attempt a trip to Mars at a later time, targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing.
The shift contrasts with Musk’s earlier statements that Mars was SpaceX’s primary destination. As recently as last year, he said the company aimed to launch an uncrewed Mars mission by the end of 2026, and in January last year he wrote on X, “No, we’re going straight to Mars. The Moon is a distraction,” in response to a post.
Timelines and competitive context
Musk has a record of setting ambitious timelines for projects such as electric vehicles and self-driving technology that have failed to materialize on schedule.
The United States faces competition from China to return humans to the moon this decade. Humans have not visited the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
xAI acquisition and fundraising plans
Less than a week ago, Musk announced that SpaceX acquired the artificial intelligence company he also leads, xAI, in a deal valuing SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion.
Supporters of the move view it as a way for SpaceX to bolster plans for space-based data centers, which Musk has said could be more energy efficient than terrestrial facilities as demand for computing power rises with AI development.
SpaceX is also hoping a public offering later this year could raise as much as $50 billion, which could make it the largest public offering in history.
How do you think SpaceX’s shift toward the moon could affect its timeline for reaching Mars?
