Elon Musk's Lunar Vision: A 'Self-Growing City' on the Moon

Elon Musk announced SpaceX's focus on building a 'self-growing city' on the moon, prioritizing it over Mars. Amidst competition with China, Musk aims for a lunar landing by 2027. With the acquisition of xAI, SpaceX plans space-based data centers leveraging AI technology. A public offering could raise $50 billion.

In a groundbreaking shift, Elon Musk revealed that SpaceX will prioritize establishing a 'self-growing city' on the moon, hoping to achieve this ambitious feat within a decade. The announcement marks a shift from Musk's long-held goal of colonizing Mars, positing the moon as a speedier goal to secure civilization's future.

Amid an intensifying space race with China, the United States is keen to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Musk's company, SpaceX, is also strengthening its technological base by acquiring xAI, potentially paving the way for space-based data centers optimized for AI developments.

A potential public offering later this year could amass $50 billion, further amplifying SpaceX's financial muscle. While predominantly funded by its commercial Starlink system, SpaceX continues as a significant contractor for NASA's Artemis moon program, tasked with landing astronauts on the lunar surface utilizing the Starship spacecraft.

(With inputs from agencies.)