“Elon Musk said on Sunday that SpaceX has shifted its focus to building a ‘self-growing city’ on the moon,” reports Reuters, “which could be achieved in less than 10 years.”
SpaceX still intends to start on Musk’s long-held ambition of a city on Mars within five to seven years, he wrote on his X social media platform, “but the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster.”
Musk’s comments echo a Wall Street Journal report on Friday, stating that SpaceX has told investors it would prioritize going to the moon and attempt a trip to Mars at a later time, targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing. As recently as last year, Musk said that he aimed to send an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida, February 8, 2026 — Forget Mars, for now. SpaceX is recalibrating its ambitious space plans, prioritizing the establishment of a “self-growing city” on the moon, according to Elon Musk. The shift, revealed on Sunday, suggests a lunar settlement could be feasible within the next decade.
Lunar Focus: A Faster Path to Civilization?
SpaceX is now concentrating on building a permanent base on the moon, believing it’s a quicker route to safeguarding the future of humanity.
- Musk announced the change in focus on his social media platform X.
- SpaceX previously aimed for an uncrewed Mars mission by the end of 2026.
- The company now targets March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing.
- A lunar city is considered a faster path to securing the future of civilization.
While the dream of colonizing Mars hasn’t been abandoned—Musk stated SpaceX still intends to begin work on a Martian city within five to seven years—the moon has taken precedence. “The overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster,” he wrote on X.
This strategic pivot follows a report from the Wall Street Journal on Friday, detailing SpaceX’s communication with investors about prioritizing lunar missions. The company is now aiming for an uncrewed landing on the moon in March 2027. Just last year, Musk had publicly stated his goal of launching an uncrewed Starship to Mars by the end of 2026.
The move raises questions about the timeline for Mars colonization, but underscores SpaceX’s commitment to expanding humanity’s presence beyond Earth. The company’s focus now appears firmly set on turning the lunar surface into a viable, and potentially self-sufficient, outpost.
