In a stunning move, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has announced that he will be purchasing Facebook from Mark Zuckerberg for an undisclosed sum.
Musk, who has been a vocal critic of the social media platform in the past, made the announcement on Twitter, saying, “Just bought FB. Gonna rename it ‘Marsbook’ and turn it into a platform for colonizing the red planet.”
Many have expressed confusion at Musk’s decision to buy a social media platform, given his previous criticisms of the industry. However, Musk explained in a follow-up tweet that he sees Facebook as the key to reaching a wider audience for his Mars colonization efforts.
“Social media is the perfect way to get people excited about space travel,” Musk tweeted. “Plus, think of all the cool space memes we can make!”
As for the rebranding, Musk has already begun brainstorming new features for the platform. In addition to standard social media fare like likes and comments, Musk has suggested that Marsbook will include a “SpaceX Store” where users can purchase rocket fuel and Mars-themed merchandise.
Zuckerberg, who reportedly sold Facebook to Musk in order to focus on his philanthropic efforts, issued a statement congratulating Musk on the purchase.
“I’m excited to see what Elon does with the platform,” Zuckerberg said. “And who knows, maybe someday we’ll all be living on Mars and posting selfies from our colonies.”
Only time will tell how successful Musk’s Marsbook venture will be, but for now, social media users are eagerly awaiting the next phase of the SpaceX CEO’s interplanetary ambitions.