Elon Musk has outlined plans to build an AI satellite factory on the moon equipped with a giant catapult for launching satellites into space. The proposal emerged during a recent staff meeting at his company xAI, as reported by The New York Times. Musk views space-based AI infrastructure as essential to meet growing computational demands without straining Earth's resources.
During a staff meeting at xAI, CEO Elon Musk told employees about his vision for an AI satellite factory on the moon, complete with a massive catapult to propel satellites into orbit, according to audio obtained by The New York Times. This facility would support the creation of a large orbiting AI data center, where satellites would be powered by the sun and cooled by the vacuum of space.
Musk emphasized the limitations of terrestrial AI infrastructure. In a statement following the merger of SpaceX and xAI, he said: "Current advances in AI are dependent on large terrestrial data centers, which require immense amounts of power and cooling. Global electricity demand for AI simply cannot be met with terrestrial solutions, even in the near term, without imposing hardship on communities and the environment. In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale."
He further noted during a recent podcast appearance on Cheeky Pint that "by far the cheapest place to put AI will be space in 36 months or less." Addressing employees, Musk stated: "You have to go to the moon in order to build the required AI capabilities. It’s difficult to imagine what an intelligence of that scale would think about, but it’s going to be incredibly exciting to see it happen."
The moon's lower gravity—one-sixth of Earth's—would aid launches, but achieving escape velocity of around 3,800 miles per hour remains challenging. Electromagnetic railguns could theoretically reach speeds up to Mach 8.8, though satellites would face extreme acceleration forces exceeding 10,000 g.
This lunar focus marks a shift for Musk, who early last year described the moon as a distraction from Mars missions on X. He now sees a self-growing city on the moon as achievable in under 10 years, compared to over 20 for Mars. However, past timelines, such as 2017 predictions of Mars cargo missions by 2022, have not materialized, with related rockets still in testing as of 2026.
A representative for xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Musk has long advocated space colonization as a safeguard for humanity, positioning the moon as a stepping stone to Mars.
