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SpaceX Moon city project could be completed in under 10 years, Elon Musk says
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Faster lunar missions give SpaceX an edge over delayed Mars expeditions
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Mars city plans remain, but Moon development now takes priority
Tech billionaire and SpaceX founder, Elon Musk, has announced a strategic shift by the aerospace company towards building a self-growing city on the Moon, describing it as a faster and more achievable goal than establishing a human settlement on Mars.
Musk made the disclosure in a post on his official X account on Monday, noting that missions to the Moon allow for quicker testing, launches and development compared to interplanetary journeys to Mars.
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According to him, SpaceX can launch lunar missions as frequently as every 10 days, with spacecraft reaching the Moon in about two days. In contrast, missions to Mars are only possible when Earth and Mars align every 26 months, with travel times averaging six months.
“For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon, as this can be achieved in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take over 20 years,” Musk stated.
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Despite the shift, Musk emphasised that the company’s long-term vision remains intact.
“The mission of SpaceX is still to extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars,” he said.
He explained that planetary alignment continues to be a major obstacle for Mars exploration, severely limiting launch windows and slowing progress.
“It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months, while Moon launches can happen every 10 days. This allows us to iterate much faster and complete a Moon city sooner,” Musk added.
Musk clarified that plans to build a city on Mars have not been abandoned, revealing that preliminary efforts could begin within the next five to seven years, even as the Moon takes precedence.
SpaceX’s ambitions to colonise Mars have often drawn scepticism, with critics questioning the feasibility of Musk’s timelines, which have been revised several times over the years.
The renewed focus on the Moon aligns with recent shifts in United States space policy, following an executive order directing NASA to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2028 under the Artemis programme. SpaceX remains a key contractor for the initiative.
NASA currently targets mid-2027 for its Artemis III mission, although experts warn that technical and funding challenges could still cause delays.