SpaceX has postponed its planned Mars mission for this year, choosing instead to concentrate its efforts on a long-term lunar mission commitment for NASA. The company has informed investors that lunar missions will now take precedence, with the Mars expedition being deferred to a later date. Sources indicate that SpaceX is targeting an uncrewed lunar landing by March 2027. This strategic realignment coincides with SpaceX accelerating plans to deploy artificial intelligence data centers in space, following its acquisition of Musk's startup xAI. Announced on Monday, the transaction values the combined entity at $1.25 trillion. SpaceX is also preparing for an initial public offering, potentially as early as this summer. In an internal memo announcing the merger, Musk, who also serves as CEO of SpaceX, detailed the company's objective to establish a permanent presence on the Moon, envisioning it as a staging ground for deeper space exploration. He stated, "By achieving space-based data centers, the capabilities we unlock will fund and support a self-sustaining base on the Moon, a civilization on Mars, and ultimately, expansion into the cosmos." Several years ago, NASA contracted SpaceX to modify its Starship vehicle for docking with spacecraft near the Moon, transporting astronauts, and landing U.S. personnel on the lunar surface. Returning American astronauts to the Moon is a cornerstone of NASA's Artemis space exploration program. Utilizing billions of dollars in NASA funding, SpaceX has been developing Starship, a rocket exceeding 400 feet in height designed for full reusability. Last year, Musk referred to the Moon as "a distraction" and asserted that SpaceX would proceed "straight to Mars." Previous reports indicated that Musk had also lobbied former President Trump to support the Mars initiative, suggesting that landing humans on Mars could cement Trump's legacy as a president of historic firsts. SpaceX had previously announced plans to launch five Starship missions to Mars by the end of 2026, aiming to capitalize on a period of closer planetary proximity for a relatively easier journey. During a podcast interview aired in January, Musk downplayed the likelihood of a Mars landing this year, commenting, "We could attempt it, but the probability of success is low," and that it was "somewhat of a distraction." Meeting the March 2027 lunar timeline presents significant challenges for SpaceX. It will require frequent Starship launches and a demonstrated capability for in-orbit refueling of the spacecraft. Last year, NASA officials pressured SpaceX to prioritize the lunar mission. In October, a former NASA official expressed concerns that SpaceX was behind schedule and suggested introducing more competitors to provide vehicles for lunar astronaut transport. Subsequently, SpaceX proposed what it termed a "simplified" pathway for returning humans to the Moon. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin is striving to achieve a lunar landing ahead of SpaceX with its own simplified lunar landing system. In January, Blue Origin announced it would pause its suborbital space tourism operations to refocus on its lunar program. During a confirmation hearing last year, a NASA administrator stated he welcomed competition between SpaceX and Blue Origin in the lunar lander domain. NASA plans to conduct the Artemis II crewed lunar orbit mission in the near future. This mission will lay the groundwork for a potential crewed Moon landing in 2028, to be executed by either SpaceX or Blue Origin.