Human city on the Moon in 10 years? Elon Musk says SpaceX actively working on it
A spacecraft can be launched to the Moon every 10 days, with a journey time of about two days. By contrast, missions to Mars depend on planetary alignment, which occurs roughly every 26 months and requires a six-month journey, according to Elon Musk.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk announced that his aerospace firm SpaceX has shifted its primary focus to building a "self-growing city" on the Moon, describing the project as faster and more realistic than establishing a human settlement on Mars.
In a post on X, Musk said the lunar project could be achieved in less than a decade, while a fully developed city on Mars could take twice as long. He said the Moon now represents the most practical path towards what he calls "securing the future of civilisation".
"For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon," he wrote. "We can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years."
He added that although the company remains committed to sending humans to Mars, the Moon offers faster progress and more frequent launch opportunities.
According to Musk, spacecraft can be launched to the Moon every 10 days, with a journey time of about two days. By contrast, missions to Mars depend on planetary alignment, which occurs roughly every 26 months and requires a six-month journey.
MARS REMAINS PART OF LONG-TERM PLAN
Despite the renewed focus on the Moon, Musk said SpaceX would continue preparing for Mars missions and aims to begin building a Martian settlement within five to seven years.
"SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city," he wrote, stressing that the company’s broader mission remains unchanged.
The tech billionaire had previously said he hoped to send an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026. However, his latest plan suggests that Mars plans may now be secondary to lunar development.
Musk’s clarification comes after a report by the Wall Street Journal stating that SpaceX had informed investors of its intention to prioritise lunar missions before attempting large-scale Mars exploration.
The report said the company was targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed landing on the Moon, marking a major milestone in its revised roadmap.
NO HUMAN MOON LANDING SINCE 1972
The announcement comes as the United States faces increasing competition from China in its efforts to return astronauts to the Moon.
No human has walked on the lunar surface since the final US Apollo mission in 1972. In recent years, both Washington and Beijing have accelerated their lunar programmes, viewing the Moon as a gateway to future space dominance.
Musk has long promoted the idea of making humanity a "multi-planetary species", with Mars originally presented as the primary destination. He has repeatedly argued that spreading human civilisation across multiple worlds is essential for long-term survival.