Musk Says SpaceX Is Building a City on the Moon Before Mars – Here’s Why

TLDR

• SpaceX has shifted focus from Mars to building a “self-growing city” on the Moon, which Musk says can be completed in under 10 years
• The company plans an uncrewed lunar landing by March 2027 while delaying Mars missions to five to seven years out
• Musk says the Moon takes priority because launches are faster and more frequent compared to Mars’ 26-month launch windows
• SpaceX holds a $4 billion NASA contract for the Artemis moon program but says NASA will represent less than 5% of company revenue this year
• The shift comes as U.S. and China compete to return humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972

Elon Musk announced Sunday that SpaceX has changed its priorities to focus on building a “self-growing city” on the Moon rather than Mars. The shift marks a change in direction for the company’s long-term space ambitions.

Musk wrote on his X social media platform that the Moon project could be completed in less than 10 years. He stated that Mars remains in the company’s plans but will take five to seven years to begin.

Mars launch windows only open about once every 26 months. Moon missions have shorter travel times and more flexible schedules.

Timeline and Technical Details

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that SpaceX told investors about the new focus. The company is targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing.

This represents a change from previous statements by Musk. Last year he said SpaceX aimed to send an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026.

SpaceX holds a $4 billion contract with NASA for the Artemis moon program. The contract involves landing astronauts on the lunar surface using the Starship spacecraft.

Musk said Monday that NASA will make up less than 5% of SpaceX revenue this year. He added that the “vast majority” of revenue comes from the commercial Starlink satellite internet system.

Competition and Context

The United States faces competition from China in the race to return humans to the Moon. No humans have visited the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

President Trump signed an order last year directing NASA to speed up the Artemis program. The goal is to send astronauts to the Moon by 2028.

Current SpaceX plans aim for a Moon mission as early as 2027. The schedule has faced multiple delays.

SpaceX recently acquired xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence company, in a deal valuing SpaceX at $1 trillion. The move supports plans for space-based data centers, which Musk says are more energy efficient than ground facilities.

The company is planning a public offering later this year that could raise up to $50 billion. This would make it the largest IPO in history.

Musk also shared SpaceX’s first Super Bowl advertisement Sunday, promoting the Starlink Wi-Fi service. The commercial represents a marketing push for the satellite internet business.

SpaceX conducted its 10th Starship test flight in August 2025 from the company’s launch facility in Starbase, Texas. The spacecraft is central to both lunar and eventual Mars mission plans.

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