Elon Musk Says SpaceX Prioritizing Self-Growing Moon City Over Mars, Cites Faster Timelines: ‘Mission … Remains The Same’

Ananya Gairola

Wed, February 11, 2026 at 9:31 PM GMT+9 3 min read

On Sunday, Elon Musk said SpaceX is shifting its near-term focus to building a self-growing city on the Moon.

Moon First, Mars Later: Musk Explains SpaceX’s Shift

Taking to X, Musk said SpaceX has already pivoted toward developing a self-growing lunar city, estimating it could be achieved in less than 10 years, compared with 20 years or more for Mars.

“The mission of SpaceX remains the same: extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars,” Musk wrote.

He said that launch opportunities to Mars occur only once every 26 months and require roughly six months of travel.

Don’t Miss:

**Missed Nvidia and Tesla? RAD Intel Could Be the Next AI Powerhouse — ****Just $0.85 a Share**

**This investment firm leverages expert insights and a 2.40x net equity multiple to help accredited investors capitalize on 2026 multifamily market trends—****read the full forecast now.**

On the other hand, missions to the Moon can launch about every 10 days with a two-day journey. “This means we can iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city,” Musk said.

SpaceX still plans to build a city on Mars and expects to begin that effort within the next five to seven years, Musk said, adding, “But the overriding priority is securing the future of civilization and the Moon is faster.”

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…

SpaceX Targets 2027 Uncrewed Moon Landing

The comments follow a Wall Street Journal report that SpaceX has told investors it plans to prioritize lunar missions over its long-stated Mars ambitions.

The company is reportedly targeting March 2027 for an uncrewed Moon landing.

See Also: Blue-chip art has historically outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, and fractional investing is now opening this institutional asset class to everyday investors.

Lunar Race Heats Up As Artemis Advances

The shift comes as the U.S. faces intensifying competition from China to return humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972.

NASA last week completed a key test for its Artemis II mission, which could launch as early as March and carry astronauts farther into space than ever before.

The renewed lunar focus also coincides with SpaceX’s agreement to acquire xAI, a deal valuing the combined companies at roughly $1.25 trillion and fueling speculation about a potential SpaceX public offering.

Story Continues  

**Read Next: **

**From Moxy Hotels to $12B in Real Estate — ****The Firm Behind NYC's Trendiest Properties Is Letting Individual Investors In.**

**This ETF issuer isn't chasing the index — ****it's building tools for income, leverage, and conviction**

Photo Courtesy: Creative Salim on Shutterstock.com

Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge’s one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today’s competitive market.

Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga:

APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report

TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article Elon Musk Says SpaceX Prioritizing Self-Growing Moon City Over Mars, Cites Faster Timelines: ‘Mission … Remains The Same’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com

Terms and Privacy Policy

Privacy Dashboard

More Info