Elon Musk wants to build a Moon city. Has he given up on his dream to colonise Mars?
Elon Musk said his company SpaceX is prioritising plans to build a self-sustaining city on the Moon before attempting a permanent settlement on Mars.
Elon Musk, the chief engineer behind SpaceX's cosmic success, has forever wanted to build a city on Mars. But that was until Sunday, when the billionaire suddenly pivoted.
Musk says the path to making humanity a multi-planetary species may now begin much closer to home, on the Moon as per plans laid out by Nasa, which had always wanted to return to Moon first and use it as a launchpad to head to Mars.
In a recent update, Elon Musk said his company SpaceX is prioritising plans to build a self-sustaining city on the Moon before attempting a permanent settlement on Mars. The shift, he explained, is driven mainly by speed, logistics, and the urgency of ensuring humanity’s long-term survival.
“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,” Musk said.
WHY ELON MUSK WANTS TO GO TO MOON FIRST?
For years, Musk has been closely associated with the idea of colonising Mars. However, the technical and timing challenges of reaching the Red Planet remain significant. Missions to Mars can only launch when Earth and Mars align roughly every 26 months, and the journey itself takes about six months.
This makes testing technologies and building infrastructure much slower and more complex.
By contrast, the Moon offers a far more practical starting point. Launch opportunities to the Moon occur every few days, and the trip takes about two days.
According to Musk, this allows engineers to test systems, learn from failures, and improve designs much faster, which is critical when building a functioning extraterrestrial settlement.
The Moon is also increasingly seen as a strategic stepping stone for deep-space exploration. Space agencies around the world, including NASA through its Artemis programme, are planning long-term lunar missions that could support human habitation, resource extraction, and scientific research.
Musk emphasised that SpaceX’s broader mission has not changed. “The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars,” he said.
WILL ELON MUSK STILL FOCUS ON COLONISING MARS?
While the Moon may now be the immediate focus, Mars is still part of SpaceX’s long-term vision.
Musk indicated that work toward building a Mars city could begin in five to seven years, even as lunar settlement efforts move forward.
Experts say a Moon-first strategy makes sense because it allows space companies to develop life-support systems, construction technologies, and transportation networks closer to Earth, where missions are easier to support and rescue operations are possible if needed.
IS IT A MUSK PLAN TO BOOST SPACEX STOCKS?
The pivot could also be part of SpaceX's broad plans to go public in near future. SpaceX is reportedly considering an initial public offering (IPO) in mid-June that could raise up to $50 billion, potentially valuing the company at around $1.5 trillion.
The rocket and satellite company was most recently valued at about $800 billion during a secondary share sale last month, meaning a public listing could become one of the largest IPOs in history.
Investor interest in space companies has grown rapidly in recent years, driven by increasing government demand for satellite imaging, data services, and communications systems, along with a rising commercial market for space-based technologies.
According to reports, SpaceX Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen has been in discussions with existing private investors since December, including a series of Zoom calls, to explore the possibility of a mid-2026 IPO.
If successful, a lunar city could become humanity’s first permanent settlement beyond Earth, and a proving ground for the technologies needed to eventually reach Mars and beyond.
Elon Musk, the chief engineer behind SpaceX's cosmic success, has forever wanted to build a city on Mars. But that was until Sunday, when the billionaire suddenly pivoted.
Musk says the path to making humanity a multi-planetary species may now begin much closer to home, on the Moon as per plans laid out by Nasa, which had always wanted to return to Moon first and use it as a launchpad to head to Mars.
In a recent update, Elon Musk said his company SpaceX is prioritising plans to build a self-sustaining city on the Moon before attempting a permanent settlement on Mars. The shift, he explained, is driven mainly by speed, logistics, and the urgency of ensuring humanity’s long-term survival.
“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,” Musk said.
WHY ELON MUSK WANTS TO GO TO MOON FIRST?
For years, Musk has been closely associated with the idea of colonising Mars. However, the technical and timing challenges of reaching the Red Planet remain significant. Missions to Mars can only launch when Earth and Mars align roughly every 26 months, and the journey itself takes about six months.
This makes testing technologies and building infrastructure much slower and more complex.
By contrast, the Moon offers a far more practical starting point. Launch opportunities to the Moon occur every few days, and the trip takes about two days.
According to Musk, this allows engineers to test systems, learn from failures, and improve designs much faster, which is critical when building a functioning extraterrestrial settlement.
The Moon is also increasingly seen as a strategic stepping stone for deep-space exploration. Space agencies around the world, including NASA through its Artemis programme, are planning long-term lunar missions that could support human habitation, resource extraction, and scientific research.
Musk emphasised that SpaceX’s broader mission has not changed. “The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars,” he said.
WILL ELON MUSK STILL FOCUS ON COLONISING MARS?
While the Moon may now be the immediate focus, Mars is still part of SpaceX’s long-term vision.
Musk indicated that work toward building a Mars city could begin in five to seven years, even as lunar settlement efforts move forward.
Experts say a Moon-first strategy makes sense because it allows space companies to develop life-support systems, construction technologies, and transportation networks closer to Earth, where missions are easier to support and rescue operations are possible if needed.
IS IT A MUSK PLAN TO BOOST SPACEX STOCKS?
The pivot could also be part of SpaceX's broad plans to go public in near future. SpaceX is reportedly considering an initial public offering (IPO) in mid-June that could raise up to $50 billion, potentially valuing the company at around $1.5 trillion.
The rocket and satellite company was most recently valued at about $800 billion during a secondary share sale last month, meaning a public listing could become one of the largest IPOs in history.
Investor interest in space companies has grown rapidly in recent years, driven by increasing government demand for satellite imaging, data services, and communications systems, along with a rising commercial market for space-based technologies.
According to reports, SpaceX Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen has been in discussions with existing private investors since December, including a series of Zoom calls, to explore the possibility of a mid-2026 IPO.
If successful, a lunar city could become humanity’s first permanent settlement beyond Earth, and a proving ground for the technologies needed to eventually reach Mars and beyond.