Musk’s Ambitious Mars Plan and Potential Payday

Elon Musk could receive a significant financial reward if SpaceX successfully establishes a city on Mars. The stipulation comes from SpaceX’s recent investor prospectus, which outlines a unique condition for Musk’s compensation. For him to earn performance-based shares, SpaceX must build a human colony on Mars, housing at least one million people.

An expert expressed skepticism about the feasibility of Musk’s plan, stating, “I have a hard time taking it seriously.”

Back in 2021, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover captured an image of Santa Cruz, a hill about 1.5 miles away, using its dual-camera Mastcam-Z imager. This image was released by NASA in collaboration with JPL-Caltech, ASU, and MSSS.

As of May 25, 2026, SpaceX’s ambitious endeavor remains a topic of significant interest and discussion in the tech community.