Elon Musk says SpaceX will first focus on building a self-growing city on the Moon, while Mars colonization plans are expected to begin 5–7 years later.

SpaceX Shifts Strategy: Elon Musk Says Moon City Comes Before Mars Mission

In a significant shift in humanity’s space exploration roadmap, Elon Musk, the founder and chief executive of SpaceX, has announced that his company is now prioritizing the development of a permanent human settlement on the Moon before launching a full-scale mission to colonize Mars.

The announcement marks a notable change from Musk’s long-standing narrative that Mars would be the primary destination for humanity’s expansion beyond Earth. While Mars remains central to SpaceX’s long-term vision, Musk clarified that practical considerations have pushed the Moon to the front of the line.

A Strategic Pivot in Space Exploration

Speaking publicly about SpaceX’s updated plans, Musk explained that the Moon offers a faster, more achievable path to establishing a self-sustaining human presence beyond Earth. According to him, a “self-growing city” on the Moon could realistically be built within the next decade, whereas a comparable settlement on Mars would require significantly more time and resources.

The key reason behind this pivot is accessibility. The Moon is Earth’s closest celestial neighbor, reachable in roughly two days. Launch opportunities are frequent, allowing missions to be planned and executed far more regularly. In contrast, Mars missions depend on rare orbital alignments that occur roughly every 26 months, and even then, the journey can take about six months one way.

Musk emphasized that frequent access allows SpaceX to test, fail, learn, and improve much more quickly. This rapid iteration, he said, is essential for developing the technologies required to support long-term human life off Earth.

What Is a “Self-Growing City” on the Moon?

The concept of a “self-growing city” goes beyond a traditional research base. According to Musk, the idea is to create a settlement that can expand over time with minimal dependence on supplies from Earth. This would involve the use of advanced robotics, automation, and local resources found on the Moon.

Such a city would rely heavily on solar energy, given the Moon’s long exposure to sunlight in certain regions. Water ice, believed to exist in permanently shadowed craters near the lunar poles, could be extracted and converted into drinking water, oxygen, and even rocket fuel. Lunar soil, or regolith, could be used as a construction material for habitats and protective structures.

The goal is not just survival, but growth — a city that gradually becomes more capable of sustaining human life independently.

Starship at the Center of the Plan

At the heart of SpaceX’s lunar ambitions is its fully reusable Starship rocket system. Designed to carry both cargo and humans, Starship is intended to dramatically reduce the cost of space travel. Musk has repeatedly described Starship as the key vehicle that will make large-scale space settlement possible.

Under the revised plan, uncrewed Starship missions would first deliver equipment, robots, and infrastructure components to the lunar surface. These early missions would test landing capabilities, power generation systems, and automated construction techniques. Once these systems are proven reliable, crewed missions would follow.

Musk has indicated that early human presence on the Moon would likely involve small teams of engineers and scientists, gradually increasing as infrastructure expands.

Mars Still in the Picture — But Later

Despite the shift in near-term priorities, Musk was clear that Mars has not been abandoned. Instead, SpaceX now sees Mars as the next major step after the Moon.

According to Musk, serious work toward establishing a Martian settlement is expected to begin approximately five to seven years from now. By that time, SpaceX hopes to have gained crucial experience from operating a lunar city, including life-support systems, radiation protection, and closed-loop resource management.

Mars presents challenges far greater than the Moon. Its thin atmosphere offers limited protection from cosmic radiation, and its distance from Earth makes emergency resupply nearly impossible. Musk has acknowledged that building a self-sustaining city on Mars could take decades, not years.

By contrast, the Moon serves as a proving ground — a place close enough to Earth to manage risks while still providing the harsh conditions needed to test technologies for deep-space living.

A Shift From Earlier Promises

Musk’s announcement represents a departure from earlier statements in which he suggested that Mars colonization could begin sooner. Over the years, he has spoken optimistically about sending humans to Mars within a relatively short timeframe.

However, industry experts note that SpaceX’s evolving strategy reflects a more pragmatic assessment of technical and logistical realities. Establishing any permanent off-world settlement requires reliable life-support systems, protection from radiation, sustainable energy production, and the ability to use local resources — all of which remain complex engineering challenges.

By focusing on the Moon first, SpaceX can address these challenges incrementally rather than attempting them all at once on a distant planet.

Global Context: A Renewed Lunar Race

SpaceX’s announcement comes at a time of renewed global interest in the Moon.

Several nations are actively planning lunar missions, seeing the Moon not only as a scientific target but also as a strategic foothold for future space exploration.

Government agencies and private companies alike are exploring possibilities ranging from scientific research and technology testing to resource extraction and commercial activity. The Moon’s potential role as a staging ground for deeper space missions has made it a focal point of international attention.

In this context, SpaceX’s lunar city vision aligns with a broader shift in how the world views Earth’s nearest neighbor — not just as a destination for brief visits, but as a place for long-term human presence.

Reactions From the Scientific Community

Reactions to Musk’s announcement have been mixed but largely engaged.

Supporters argue that the Moon-first approach is a logical and necessary step. They believe that lessons learned from a lunar settlement will be invaluable for future missions to Mars and beyond.

Critics, however, caution that even a lunar city remains an extremely ambitious goal. The Moon’s lack of atmosphere, extreme temperature variations, and pervasive lunar dust present serious hazards. Building a self-sustaining city will require breakthroughs in materials science, robotics, and human health in space.

Still, most experts agree that the Moon offers a more manageable testing ground than Mars, particularly given its proximity to Earth.

Implications for the Future of Humanity in Space

If successful, SpaceX’s lunar city could mark a turning point in human history — the moment when humanity becomes a multi-planetary species in a practical sense. A permanent settlement on the Moon would demonstrate that humans can live, work, and expand beyond Earth for extended periods.

Such a development could accelerate innovation in energy, materials, automation, and life-support systems, with potential benefits extending back to Earth. It could also inspire a new generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.

For Musk, the ultimate goal remains the long-term survival of human civilization. He has often argued that becoming multi-planetary is essential insurance against global catastrophes on Earth. The Moon, in this updated vision, is the first major stepping stone toward that future.

Looking Ahead

While timelines in space exploration are often subject to change, Musk’s announcement provides a clearer sense of SpaceX’s immediate priorities. Over the next several years, attention will focus on Starship development, uncrewed lunar missions, and the gradual buildup of infrastructure on the Moon.

Whether SpaceX can achieve a self-growing lunar city within a decade remains to be seen. But the shift itself underscores a broader reality: humanity’s path into space is likely to be incremental, shaped by engineering realities as much as by ambition.

For now, the message from SpaceX is clear — before humanity reaches Mars, it will first learn how to live on the Moon.