Forget Mars: Elon says SpaceX’s next big bet is moon city

Elon Musk has once again reshaped SpaceX’s long-term vision, announcing a shift in focus from Mars to building a “self-growing city” on the Moon, citing speed, efficiency, and the future of civilization.

In a post on X on Sunday, Musk revealed that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a lunar city over its long-promised mission to Mars.

Musk explained that travel to Mars is only possible when the planets align every 26 months, with a journey taking around six months. In contrast, missions to the Moon can launch every 10 days, with a travel time of just two days, allowing SpaceX to move faster and iterate more quickly.

The announcement marks a significant shift from Musk’s earlier statements. In 2020, he said SpaceX could land humans on Mars by 2026, suggesting that an uncrewed mission could be sent even sooner.

SpaceX has a history of delaying large-scale projects due to technical complexity and regulatory hurdles. Just last week, the company delayed NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, which was set to become the first human Moon mission in over 50 years.