Elon Musk said SpaceX is shifting its focus toward building a “self-growing city” on the Moon, slowing its long-promoted Mars plans. He shared the update on Sunday on his social media platform X, saying the Moon project offers a faster and more urgent path to securing humanity’s future in space, drawing attention because Mars has long been presented as SpaceX’s main goal.
SpaceX shifts focus to the Moon
According to Musk, SpaceX believes a self-growing city on the Moon could be achieved in less than ten years. He explained that while Mars remains an important goal, the Moon project provides a quicker path to establishing a permanent human presence beyond Earth. Musk described this shift as a matter of urgency, saying the Moon project allows humanity to move faster in protecting the long-term survival of civilization.
A “self-growing city” means a settlement that can expand on its own over time. Under the Moon project, such a city would rely on local resources, automated systems, and advanced technology to support people living there without constant supplies from Earth. While the idea may sound like science fiction, SpaceX sees the Moon project as a practical next step in space development.
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This change in direction aligns with a recent report by the Wall Street Journal. The report said SpaceX informed investors that it plans to prioritize the Moon project and delay its Mars efforts. The company is reportedly targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing, which would be a major milestone if achieved.
Only last year, Musk had said SpaceX hoped to send an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026. The updated focus on the Moon project shows how quickly plans can evolve as technical, financial, and geopolitical factors come into play.
Global competition and renewed lunar race
The renewed focus on the Moon comes as competition between major world powers is increasing, with the Moon project gaining strategic importance. The United States and China are both racing to return humans to the lunar surface during this decade as part of their broader Moon project goals. Humans have not walked on the Moon since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972, more than fifty years ago.
For the U.S., maintaining leadership in space exploration is seen as strategically important, and the Moon project plays a central role in that effort. Private companies like SpaceX support the Moon project alongside government agencies such as NASA. A strong lunar presence under the Moon project could support scientific research, testing of new technologies, and long-term space missions.
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China has made steady progress with its own lunar missions and has openly discussed plans for a future Moon base. This international competition adds pressure on American companies and agencies to move quickly and show results.
Musk’s announcement suggests SpaceX sees the Moon as a realistic and near-term goal. It also fits with broader efforts to use the Moon as a stepping stone for deeper space exploration. Establishing infrastructure there could help future missions by reducing costs and risks.
Business moves shaping SpaceX’s strategy
The shift in SpaceX’s space priorities is taking place alongside major business developments across Elon Musk’s companies. Less than a week before his comments about the Moon, Musk announced that SpaceX had acquired xAI, the artificial intelligence company he also leads, in a deal valuing SpaceX at about $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion.
Supporters of the move say the xAI acquisition could strengthen SpaceX’s plans for space-based data centers. Musk has argued that data centers in space could be more energy-efficient than those on Earth as demand for computing power rises with the growth of artificial intelligence.
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SpaceX is also considering a public offering later this year. Reports suggest an initial public offering could raise up to $50 billion, potentially making it the largest IPO in history. Musk has also promoted SpaceX’s consumer business, recently sharing the company’s first Super Bowl advertisement focused on its Starlink satellite internet service.
Beyond SpaceX, Musk is reshaping Tesla by shifting more resources toward autonomous driving and robotics. The electric vehicle maker plans to spend about $20 billion this year and will stop producing two car models at its California factory to make room for manufacturing Optimus humanoid robots.
