Elon Musk Pivots to the Moon, Calls It the Fastest Path to Saving Civilization

"After years of dismissing Earth's neighbor as a "distraction," the SpaceX CEO announced on X that the company has officially shifted its primary focus toward building a "self-growing city" on the moon. While Mars remains the ultimate goal, Musk now argues that the lunar surface offers a much faster "backup" for human consciousness. Musk pointed out that while the stars must align every 26 months for a six-month trek to Mars, the moon is available every 10 days and is only a 48-hour commute away."

"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," Musk wrote on X. He added that the higher frequency of lunar launches allows SpaceX to "iterate much faster to complete a Moon city than a Mars city."

"This shift coincides with a massive internal restructuring of Musk's empire. SpaceX recently merged with his artificial intelligence startup, xA I, in a deal valuing the combined entity at a staggering $1.25 trillion. Musk's vision for the moon isn't just about boots on the ground; it's about " orbital data centers." By launching a constellation of up to one million solar-powered AI satellites, SpaceX hopes to bypass Earth's energy constraints."

SpaceX has shifted primary focus to building a self-growing city on the moon, targeting potential completion in less than ten years while Mars would take more than twenty years. Lunar launches can occur every ten days and the lunar surface is roughly a 48-hour commute, allowing faster operational iteration. SpaceX merged with xA I in a deal valuing the combined company near $1.25 trillion. Plans include orbital data centers and a constellation of up to one million solar-powered AI satellites to bypass Earth energy constraints. The company is reportedly considering an IPO that could raise up to $50 billion. China is accelerating its own lunar program with crewed ambitions this decade.

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