There won’t be any cities on the Moon any time soon, scientists say
Despite recent breakthroughs mapping the lunar surface to analyse the feasibility of building lunar cities, a new study pours cold water on the prospect of permanent colonisation.
Recent research from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) suggests that the idea of large-scale cities on the Moon remains a distant reality. The study, titled "There Are No Cities on the Moon," indicates that insufficient water reserves are the primary obstacle to establishing a sustainable lunar city. With a population of one million people, a lunar city would deplete its water supply in just a few years, even if advanced recycling methods were employed, similar to those used by the International Space Station (ISS).
For such a city to survive beyond 100 years, its population would likely need to be reduced to around 1,000 people. Despite the challenges, the study does highlight the potential for more efficient water use, such as vertical farming, or importing water from other sources. Energy on the Moon, on the other hand, is abundant and consistent, thanks to the high illumination regions near the poles and the presence of silicon, a key component in solar cells.
While the prospect of a million-person lunar city remains speculative, the research underscores the importance of long-term water resource management as humanity considers future lunar exploration and settlement.
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