What are the prospects of the Moon's colonization?
Five primary elements of life are carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (n) and calcium (CA). Together they make up about 98% of biomass. We also use iron and silicon to make computers and machines. The problem with the colonization of the Moon is that it has a lot of iron, silicon, oxygen and calcium, but very little hydrogen, nitrogen or carbon, which is relatively hostile to life. Asteroids and comets. To colonize the Moon on a larger scale - not only its use as a research base - would have to be brought to a lunar surface with a large number of these elements.
Carbon could come from carbon asteroids, which make up 75% of all asteroids and are extrevels rich in the element. Hydrogen could initially benefit from the poles, but later could be imported from the ground. Nitrogen would be the most expensive to get - everything would have to be imported directly from the ground, unless the lunar surface we don't know cannot know, which is false belowBunné. The good news is that once all the necessary elements are transferred, they could be indefinitely recycled if the measures were taken to ensure that the elements hover into space. The colonization of the Moon would be difficult to start, but as soon as a reliable cycle is created, our ancestors can forget that it has always been so difficult.
Judging by human history and our spirit of the survey, it seems that the colonization of the Moon is quite likely in a sufficiently long -term horizon. A feasible colonization project would require that the cost of starting significantly reduces. Many proposals to reduce the cost of space transit to $ 100/lb. Or less are in the works, even if it can be a few decades before they bring fruit. As soon as they do so, the colonization of the Moon will not only be understood by governments, but also private entrepreneurs. The Moon could gain economic support by exporting Helia-3, which would be an ideal fusion fuel. Helium-3 is very rare on the ground.
one day we look nAnd the night sky and we will see the city lights on the moon above us. People on the moon look back and see our lights - if the colonists live on the side of the moon they never stand, in which case they only see the sun, stars and very weakly, the other planets in the solar system.