Elon Musk announced SpaceX is shifting near-term focus from Mars settlement to building a “self-growing city on the Moon,” claiming completion in less than 10 years versus over 20 years for Mars, due to easier launch windows and Earth proximity, in a post 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…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 8, 2026
Musk stated the lunar project offers faster achievement through simplified logistics for an initial proof of concept. The closer distance reduces travel time and supports more frequent missions. Launch windows to the Moon occur more often than those to Mars, allowing shorter preparation intervals between departures from Earth.
In 2017, Musk claimed a Mars base would be ready for its first settlers as early as 2024. This timeline reflected early ambitions for rapid human expansion beyond Earth orbit.
In replies to other posts on X, Musk predicted Mars development will start in 5 or 6 years and proceed parallel to the Moon effort. He specified, “Mars will start in 5 or 6 years, so will be done parallel with the Moon, but the Moon will be the initial focus.” Musk also indicated a manned Mars flight might happen in 2031.
Early last year, Musk posted on X that SpaceX would go “straight to Mars” and called the Moon “a distraction.” This position contrasted with his recent emphasis on lunar priorities.
The earlier post responded to space industry analyst Peter Hague. Hague pointed out that lunar regolith, a material found on the surface of the Moon, contains about 45 percent oxygen. This composition presents opportunities for in-situ resource utilization.
In 2023, NASA demonstrated oxygen extraction from lunar regolith. The process confirms potential for producing oxygen on the Moon. Extracting oxygen locally yields enormous payload savings compared to shipping liquid oxygen from Earth to Mars. Reduced payload mass lowers launch costs and vehicle requirements.
SpaceX acts as a contractor for certain stages of NASA’s Artemis missions. These missions plan humans back on the lunar surface by 2028. Artemis II will send astronauts to circle the Moon before returning to Earth. The mission is set to launch in March 2024.
