Elon Musk once again unveils the "Moon City" blueprint: SpaceX aims to build a self-sustaining base within 10 years

On February 9th, Elon Musk announced that SpaceX is advancing a brand new deep space strategy with the goal of building a “self-growing city” on the Moon within the next 10 years, serving as a crucial starting point for humanity’s journey toward a multi-planetary civilization. This concept is seen as a key turning point in his long-term space colonization plans.

Musk pointed out that, compared to Mars, which has launch windows only once every 26 months and requires several months for a one-way trip, the Moon offers clear advantages in travel time and supply efficiency. Rockets can make frequent round trips, making the transportation of building materials, energy systems, and personnel rotations more flexible, thereby accelerating infrastructure development. He emphasized that the Moon base will not only be a scientific research outpost but also a “self-sufficient city prototype” with manufacturing and expansion capabilities.

According to the plan, this city will rely on automated construction, renewable energy, closed-loop life support systems, and local resource utilization technologies to achieve continuous expansion. It is also viewed as a technological testing ground for future Martian civilizations, accumulating experience for interstellar exploration at greater distances.

As heavy-lift rockets and deep space communication systems continue to improve, SpaceX is attempting to move the “Moon City Plan” from concept to engineering phase. For the global space industry, this goal not only represents a technological leap but also symbolizes a redefinition of the timeline for human settlement in space.