tech
February 16, 2026
Musk changes course on Mars quest and shoots for moon
Moon was a distraction and Mars the goal for billionaire SpaceX chief – could Trump have influenced his U-turn?
TL;DR
- SpaceX is prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon, aiming for completion in under 10 years.
- Elon Musk stated that Mars would take 20+ years, while the Moon offers a faster path to securing civilization's future.
- This shift allows SpaceX to allocate more resources to NASA's Artemis 3 mission, for which SpaceX is contracted to provide the human landing system.
- Challenges and delays plague NASA's Artemis program, with the Artemis 3 mission now targeting a 2028 landing.
- SpaceX's Starship rocket has yet to complete a successful orbital test flight, with landing on celestial bodies being a significant challenge.
- The move also positions SpaceX to compete with Blue Origin, which is advancing its lunar ambitions and has secured a NASA contract for the Artemis 5 mission.
- Musk's increased focus on artificial intelligence and potential orbital datacenters is also noted as a factor influencing his strategic decisions.
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