Elon Musk plans to deploy 1 million Optimus robots to the moon to replicate industrial civilization Musk: With about 1 million Optimus robots + 1GW of solar power, it’s possible to create the first 'Von Neumann Probe.' After sending robots to the moon or other planets, they can directly utilize local raw materials for mining, manufacturing, and power generation. Eventually, even the robots and factories themselves can replicate. Now, SpaceX’s recent announcement about the Louisiana Starbase gets even more interesting: They’re planning to invest around $100 billion, start construction in 2027, and have the first Starship launch in 2029. The facility will include its own fuel production, power generation, deep-water port, and spacecraft processing facilities. Musk’s complete industrial chain: SpaceX sends millions of tons of equipment into space, solar power solves the energy issue, AI chips act as the brains, Optimus handles mining and manufacturing, and lunar mass drivers launch locally produced goods to even farther destinations. The ultimate role Musk envisions for this? After humanity leaves Earth, these will be the first industrial workers who don’t need salaries, don’t need oxygen, and can even replicate their own factories.