Life on the Moon?

Our final stop on this virtual tour will explore the idea of possibly living on the moon.

The initial theory of an orbital space colony (or lunar colony) has been credited to a number of different science fiction writers living during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although these authors couldn't know about the complications of space travel, the far majority of their ideas seemed to grasp the basic necessities of NASA's modern design goals.

According to NASA, "The main goal is to design a permanent community in space that is sufficiently productive to maintain itself, and to exploit actively the environment of space to an extent that permits growth, replication, and the eventual creation of much larger communities." These regulations imply that humans will demand a settlement that would be sustainable, efficient, and productive.

This video provides more information on the idea of creating a space station on the moon:




Amongst other research, NASA has gathered data from scientists, engineers, and the general public about reasons why we should return to the moon. The main topics appear to fall into six general themes that would be seen as the benefits of lunar colonization. These themes include; The Expansion of Human Civilization, Scientific Knowledge, Exploration Preparation, Global preparation, Global Partnerships, Economic Expansion, and Public Engagement.