Elon Musk has stated that his rocket company SpaceX will now prioritise building a self-sustaining city on the moon within the next decade, putting its long-held goal of reaching Mars on a slower timeline.

Musk announced the strategic shift on his social media platform, X, saying the move was to "secure the future of civilisation" and that "the Moon is faster." He confirmed that a mission to Mars is now planned for within five to seven years, rather than sooner.

The announcement follows a recent report that SpaceX informed investors it would target an uncrewed lunar landing by March 2027. This refocusing comes amid intense competition from China to return humans to the lunar surface this decade.

The news follows last week's announcement that SpaceX acquired Musk's artificial intelligence firm, xAI, in a major deal. According to a Reuters report on the matter, proponents suggest that this merger could support plans for energy-efficient, space-based data centres.

Separately, Musk noted that NASA will account for less than 5% of SpaceX's revenue this year, with the vast majority coming from its commercial Starlink satellite internet service, adds the Reuters report. The company is reportedly planning a massive public offering later this year.