Moon before Mars? Elon Musk's Moon civilisation isn't just a dream, it's a practical step toward off-earth life

Elon Musk has never been subtle about dreaming big. Self-driving cars, satellite internet in space, humanoid robots and AI copilots? All done. Now, he's teasing something straight out of sci-fi TikTok edits, 'Life on the Moon'. It kicked off with a low-key but loaded post on X where the Tesla owner and billionaire said, "Mars will start in 5 or 6 years, so it will be done in parallel with the Moon, but the Moon will be the initial focus."

Following this, soon after, an AI-generated video titled 'Moon 2042', made with Grok and shared by @DogecoinNorway, started making the rounds, and Musk reposted it with just three words that sent space Twitter into overdrive: 'civilisation on the moon'.

As soon as the video surfaced on the platform, it quickly sparked a discussion. The video imagines a fully developed lunar setup that feels less like a cold space mission and more like a sci-fi lifestyle vlog. You see dome-shaped habitats glowing against the moon's surface, giving major 'future city at night' vibes. Astronauts move between modules like they are just heading to class or grabbing coffee on campus. There are Tesla-style vehicles cruising around (that's a sign that it's Elon Musk without Tesla), and there are some research bases that don't look stiff or lonely.

But the most unexpected part? Kids playing in astronaut suits, which makes the whole thing feel less like a lab experiment and more like a place where real life happens. It's half futuristic dream, half AI fever edit and the kind of content that feels made to blow up on your feed.

And unsurprisingly, it got people talking immediately.Elon Musk has always been the 'Mars guy'. A full-on city on Mars has been his long-term obsession for years. So when he hints that the Moon might come first, people pay attention.

Some users on X are even convinced that this means a strategic pivot: Moon first, Mars later. Others took the meme route (Tesla drifting on the moon with Doge in the passenger seat). Either way, curiosity levels went through the roof.

But Musk didn't confirm the timeline. He didn't drop blueprints, just the classic Elon tweet. Vision first, details later, similar to his bold claims about AI doing all human work within a decade.

Well, here's where it actually gets interesting. The Moon isn't just closer to Earth; it works as a real-world testing ground. It's only about three days away instead of months like Mars, which means missions are less risky and help can arrive faster if something goes wrong.

Also, the communication with Earth is almost instant, unlike on Mars, where messages lag for minutes, making everyday operations very difficult. The Moon also gives scientists and engineers the perfect place to test habitats, energy systems, and long-term human survival tech without going all in on a one-way gamble. On top of that, space agencies like NASA, through programmes such as Artemis, are already focused on returning to the Moon.

So, when Musk hints at lunar civilisation, it might not be a change of plans at all. It could just be the warm-up before the real mission.