Elon Musk Reveals Plan to Build Satellite Catapult and AI Factory on the Moon

Elon Musk has unveiled another bold idea — this time, a plan to build a satellite catapult on the moon.

The development was shared by a staff member at xAI, who revealed that the Starlink owner has aligned the project with his rocket company, SpaceX. According to the update, Musk is proposing the creation of a Lunar AI satellite factory.

Part of the proposal includes building what is known as a “mass driver” — an electromagnetic catapult designed to launch payloads into space using magnetic pulses. The system would generate powerful magnetic forces capable of pushing objects sky-high from the moon’s surface.

According to a report by The New York Times, Musk made the statement during an all-hands meeting, where he said:

“You have to go to the moon.”

He described the lunar project as the first step in a broader three-step plan. The vision includes building a self-sustaining city on the moon, colonising Mars, and eventually exploring the cosmos in search of alien life.

“If you’re moving faster than anyone else in any given technology arena, you will be the leader, and xAI is moving faster than any other company — no one’s even close.

“Because we’ve reached a certain scale, we’re organising the company to be more effective at this scale.

‘And actually, when this happens, there’s some people who are better suited for the early stages of a company and less suited for the later stages.’”

It can also be recalled that Musk announced on X yesterday that some staff members were laid off from the company.