Musk: SpaceX prioritizes city on the Moon over Mars

According to Elon Musk, SpaceX is shifting its short-term priorities from Mars to the Moon. The company wants to build a so-called "self-sustaining city," which could be created in less than ten years.

Musk claims that this is a more pragmatic step—the Moon is closer, logistically more manageable, and allows for faster testing of the technologies needed for the long-term survival of civilization. The Mars city project is not being permanently postponed, but it is taking a back seat.

According to the Wall Street Journal, SpaceX has already announced to investors a plan for an unmanned landing on the Moon in March 2027. Musk is expanding its technological base with the acquisition of xAI and hinting at ambitions in the field of space data centers.

Meanwhile, the United States faces growing competition from China in its efforts to return humans to the lunar surface, where no human has set foot since 1972.

(reuters, pir)