SpaceX has officially reshaped its long-term space strategy. Elon Musk has confirmed that the company will prioritize building a self-sustaining city on the Moon before attempting to colonize Mars, a project he believes could be completed in less than a decade. The announcement, shared during Super Bowl weekend and later clarified on X, signals a major shift in focus. Mars, once presented as SpaceX's near-term goal, is now a longer-term objective, while the Moon becomes the immediate destination for permanent human settlement. So here's everything you need to know about Musk's plan to build a self-growing city on the Moon within 10 years.
Why the Moon is faster than Mars:
According to Musk, the decision is driven by logistics and iteration speed rather than a lack of ambition. Missions to Mars are only possible when Earth and Mars align (roughly every 26 months) and require a journey of about six months. In contrast, launches to the Moon can occur every ten days, with travel times measured in just two days. This frequent access allows SpaceX to test systems, refine technology, and scale infrastructure far more quickly. As Musk explained, this rapid iteration makes a lunar city achievable in under ten years, while a comparable settlement on Mars would likely take more than two decades.
A self-growing city on the Moon:
SpaceX's lunar vision goes beyond a traditional base. Musk described plans for a "self-growing" city capable of expanding autonomously over time. The concept includes life-support systems designed for long-term human habitation, as well as infrastructure to host data centers and artificial intelligence platforms on the lunar surface. The Moon's proximity makes it an ideal testing ground for technologies that could later be deployed on Mars or deeper into the solar system, reducing risk while accelerating development.
Starship delays and competitive pressure:
The strategic shift also comes after a challenging period for Starship, the heavy-lift rocket central to SpaceX's ambitions. Several test failures and missed timelines have slowed progress and increased pressure to deliver concrete results. At the same time, competition is intensifying. Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos, has reportedly paused its space tourism operations to focus on lunar landers, aiming to establish a lasting presence on the Moon. The lunar surface is quickly becoming the next battleground in the private space race.
Mars is still the end goal:
Despite the change in priorities, Musk insists that SpaceX's mission remains unchanged: extending life and consciousness beyond Earth. The company plans to resume active development toward a Mars city within the next five to seven years, using lessons learned from lunar construction. For now, however, securing a permanent human foothold on the Moon is seen as the fastest and most viable path forward, as Musk's states in the post below...
Elon Musk on X:
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. The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars. It is only possible to travel to Mars when the planets align every 26 months (six month trip time), whereas we can launch to the Moon every 10 days (2 day trip time). This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city. That said, SpaceX will also strive to build a Mars city and begin doing so in about 5 to 7 years, but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster.
<social>https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2020640004628742577?s=20</social>