A city on the Moon. Elon Musk plans to establish a settlement in space
12 February 21:00
The space race around the Moon is intensifying. The private company SpaceX is actively joining government programs. Elon Musk has announced that he is changing his priorities and plans to focus on creating a “self-sustaining city” on the surface of the Moon. According to him, this can be done in less than ten years. This is reported by Interesting Engineering, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Musk has repeatedly stated that his main goal is Mars, calling the Moon a “distraction.” Now he explains the change in plans as a matter of safety. In his opinion, in the event of a “catastrophe” on Earth, supplies to the distant Martian colony could be interrupted. The Moon is much closer, so it is easier to use as a platform to ensure the “future of civilization.”
The details of what exactly a “self-sustaining city” means have not yet been disclosed. However, the statement itself indicates the beginning of a new phase of competition in space, particularly between the US and China.
The Moon is seen as a strategically important object. Helium-3, a substance that could theoretically be used for future thermonuclear reactors, can be mined there. There are also deposits of water ice on the Moon. It can be used to obtain oxygen for breathing and hydrogen as fuel. In the future, this will allow the creation of a kind of “refueling station” for space missions.
China is already planning to develop a so-called “Earth-Moon economic space” as part of its program. At the same time, not all experts support the idea of a city.
Quentin Parker, professor of astrophysics at the University of Hong Kong, believes that “the city needs tens of thousands of people.” He notes that by 2035, a small semi-permanent base is likely to appear, but a “self-growing city” is a much more complex project.
Experts emphasize that a permanent human presence on the Moon requires technologies that do not yet exist in a ready-made form. These include closed life support systems, food production, resource extraction, and radiation protection. According to Parker, “this is very difficult” and so far “none of this has been fully demonstrated by the US, China, or private companies such as SpaceX.”
He added that a small, partially reusable base where people will live is a realistic prospect, but turning it into a “self-sustaining city” will not be easy.
One reason for the change in strategy is distance. A flight to Mars takes several months, while the Moon can be reached in about three days. In the event of an accident or medical problem, help from Earth can be obtained much faster.
Parker suggests that Musk “realizes the scale of his Martian dream” and that it may be too ambitious for the next 10-15 years compared to the company’s actual capabilities.
SpaceX is not abandoning its plans for Mars and is considering the prospect of a flight within the next 20 years. But the next step may be the Moon.
In the coming months, NASA plans to launch the Artemis 2 mission with a crew to fly around the Moon. Meanwhile, China, together with Russia and other countries, intends to launch an International Lunar Research Station and make it operational by 2035.
The Chinese space industry has also experienced difficulties recently. Some state-owned and private companies, including LandSpace with its Zhuque-3 rocket, have faced unsuccessful first launches.
