Elon Musk: SpaceX to Open Moon Travel to the Public — and Mars Next

Elon Musk has once again set social media abuzz after reiterating his vision of making space travel accessible to the public, including missions to the Moon and eventually Mars. The SpaceX founder described the idea as “so insanely cool” in a post on X, stating that the company plans to build a system that would allow “anyone to travel to the Moon”, before adding in a follow-up post, “And Mars too.”

While Musk’s initial statement appeared to shift focus away from his long-standing emphasis on Mars as SpaceX’s primary destination, the subsequent clarification reassured followers that the Red Planet remains central to the company’s ambitions. Together, the posts reignited global interest in SpaceX’s broader goal of turning humanity into a multi-planetary species.

The announcement quickly went viral, amassing more than 30 million views within hours of being posted, as of 10:50 am IST on February 10. The scale of engagement underscored the enduring fascination with Musk’s space ambitions and highlighted the widespread public interest in the possibility of civilian space travel.

Also Read: Elon Musk Declares: I'll Congratulate Jeff Bezos if Blue Origin Lands on Moon First

Online reactions ranged from awe to imaginative speculation. Several users hailed the idea as a historic milestone, suggesting that leaving Earth’s orbit and settling on the Moon is no longer confined to science fiction. Some pointed to SpaceX’s long-term goals, including uncrewed missions later this decade and the possibility of building a self-sustaining lunar settlement within ten years, as signs of rapid progress in space exploration.

Others framed the announcement as the beginning of a new era, with frequent launches potentially turning the Moon into what one user described as “our neighbourhood’s front porch”. The concept of a lunar city also captured attention, with users envisioning future generations vacationing or even living in space, a notion once reserved for speculative novels and films.

Several commenters also highlighted the transformative potential of SpaceX’s Starship platform, comparing its impact on space travel to the jet engine revolution in aviation. While no official timelines or technical details were announced, Musk’s remarks once again demonstrated his ability to spark global conversation around the future of space exploration, even as significant technological and regulatory challenges remain.

Also Read: Pakistan Delays Starlink Licensing Amid Data Security And Regulatory Concerns