Elon Musk says SpaceX has shifted its near-term priorities from plans to settle Mars to building a “self-growing city on the Moon”, arguing that the lunar goal is faster and more achievable. Musk claims that the company can accomplish this in less than 10 years, whereas it would take more than 20 years to do the same on Mars.
This marks a major shift for the aerospace company, as Musk points out that completing a proof of concept for the first time on the Moon is easier in relation to the launch window and proximity to Earth. SpaceX’s founders are notorious for promising optimistic timelines that never materialize, and that a base on Mars will be ready for its first inhabitants as early as 2024.
In another post, Musk said, “Mars will start in 5 or 6 years, so it will be parallel to the Moon, but the Moon will be the initial focus.” He also said that a manned Mars flight could happen.
Early last year Musk said SpaceX would go “straight to Mars” and that “the Moon is a distraction.” This was in response to the space industry analyst noting, among other considerations, that lunar regolith, the substance found on the Moon’s surface, is about 45 percent oxygen. In 2023 NASA proves this oxygen will provide huge payload savings as opposed to sending liquid oxygen between Earth and Mars.
NASA, for which SpaceX is a contractor, plans to see humans return to the moon’s surface by 2028. Artemis II, during which astronauts will circle the Moon before returning to Earth, is due in March this year.
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