Elon Musk announced Sunday that SpaceX has changed its priorities to focus on building a “self-growing city” on the Moon rather than Mars. The shift marks a change in direction for the company’s long-term space ambitions.
Musk wrote on his X social media platform that the Moon project could be completed in less than 10 years. He stated that Mars remains in the company’s plans but will take five to seven years to begin.
Mars launch windows only open about once every 26 months. Moon missions have shorter travel times and more flexible schedules.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that SpaceX told investors about the new focus. The company is targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed lunar landing.
This represents a change from previous statements by Musk. Last year he said SpaceX aimed to send an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026.
SpaceX holds a $4 billion contract with NASA for the Artemis moon program. The contract involves landing astronauts on the lunar surface using the Starship spacecraft.
Musk said Monday that NASA will make up less than 5% of SpaceX revenue this year. He added that the “vast majority” of revenue comes from the commercial Starlink satellite internet system.
The United States faces competition from China in the race to return humans to the Moon. No humans have visited the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
President Trump signed an order last year directing NASA to speed up the Artemis program. The goal is to send astronauts to the Moon by 2028.
Current SpaceX plans aim for a Moon mission as early as 2027. The schedule has faced multiple delays.
SpaceX recently acquired xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence company, in a deal valuing SpaceX at $1 trillion. The move supports plans for space-based data centers, which Musk says are more energy efficient than ground facilities.
The company is planning a public offering later this year that could raise up to $50 billion. This would make it the largest IPO in history.
Musk also shared SpaceX’s first Super Bowl advertisement Sunday, promoting the Starlink Wi-Fi service. The commercial represents a marketing push for the satellite internet business.
SpaceX conducted its 10th Starship test flight in August 2025 from the company’s launch facility in Starbase, Texas. The spacecraft is central to both lunar and eventual Mars mission plans.
The post Musk Says SpaceX Is Building a City on the Moon Before Mars – Here’s Why appeared first on CoinCentral.

