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What moon colonization can bring to Earth
Lisha M. Roubert
:
Since the first person set foot on the moon, it has been envisioned by scientists
and engineers around the world to return and create a human civilization in space. Such
idealization has contributed to gather scientists and engineers from the diverse sectors in
order to work together in an effort to pursuit such goal. Companies such as NASA and
other private sectors have collaborated during the past years in order to develop
technologies that will enable us to travel space. The accomplishments and discoveries
made have been remarkable and have allowed us to gain a better understanding of the
Universe as a whole.
However, efficient technology development for such remote regions in occasions
requires an understanding of the space environment that we do not possess yet. It would
require immersing into space and using it as a laboratory in order to understand what
would be needed in order overcome the barriers that have limited us from expanding to
the rest of our solar system. Due to the proximity to Earth and the similarities to our
home planet, the moon would represent the ideal location to begin the construction of
such concept. The potential advantages that its resources present to space exploration and
Earth have made the moon the target to establish a permanent settlement in space. It
promises many advantages to Earth in the political, economic, scientific and engineering
aspects as well as allowing us to gain a better understanding of our home planet and
acquire more knowledge. This study takes focus on the four sectors that will gain the
maximum benefits if such goal is accomplished.
1) Science
a) Astronomy
It is evident that the scientific sector will gain the most benefits from settlement
on the moon in a short period of time. Being able to use scientific instrumentation from
the lunar surface reduces many of the atmospheric effects and noise that affect the quality
of the data provided by the sensitive instrumentation used on earth. The moons light
atmosphere will eliminate most of these constraints and allow us to research other planets
and other space phenomena that would be impossible to study from our home planet.
This would guarantee a more efficient performance of the instrumentation such as
telescopes, radio telescopes, etc. Once we have all this new information and studies
available, scientists can determine what new instrumentation and technologies must be
developed in order to study more remote regions of the solar system.
Settlement in space could also facilitate the process of asteroid colonization in
order to do mining and search for alternate resources. Moon crossing asteroids would be
the ideal choice since their small gravitational pull makes them easier to get out from
once the mining has been done. It is believed that these asteroids may be an economic
source of raw material that can be employed in space construction or can be used as
resources. Many of the materials extracted may be applied in space construction projects
or may be of use in propulsion, agriculture, metallurgy, semiconductors, and precious and
strategic metals. Certain volatiles such as hydrogen and methane could be used to
What moon colonization can bring to Earth
L. Roubert
produce rocket propellant to transport spacecraft between earth and the moon or between
any other destinations. Rare-earth metals could be used to manufacture structural
materials as well as solar photovoltaic arrays which could be used to power space or
lunar habitats. These solar cells could also be used in a constellation of solar power
satellites in orbit around the Earth in order to provide electrical power for its inhabitants.
This would benefit the earth immensely since we would avoid the destruction of our
forests and other resources. (Ross, 2001)
b) Health and Medicine
Medical Research may receive major benefits from the reduced gravity in the
environment of the moon and the hard vacuum. Some of the suggested areas that we may
benefit from involve the medical treatment of massive injuries, growth of human organs
and cartilage, immune systems research, pharmaceutical research and production. There
may be benefits to treating burn and trauma patients, or those with massively
degenerative diseases in microgravity. The one-sixth gravity can be very helpful to those
with serious injuries that require extensive rehabilitation (Benaroya, 2004).
In addition to this, the moon environment would also provide us the laboratory
necessary to develop medicine that will aid astronauts in space as well as enable human
life in space for a prolonged period of time. This will be essential if we wish to establish
ourselves permanently in space and for manned missions to remote regions of the solar
system.
If we desire to establish ourselves permanently in space, it is evident that Human
Physiology and Psychology research is essential. It is necessary to determine how human
behavior will be affected and how we will survive physically and mentally in the space
environment. Some relevant studies have been made in the past but more details will be
necessary before sending manned missions beyond the moon. The Moon provides us with
a test bed for better understanding Human behavior and for the development of coping
tools.
2) Economics
a) Business
 Spin-off technologies
Spin-off technologies have resulted to be among some of the major acquisitions
that we have obtained from space exploration for more than 40 years. Over 1500
successful spin-off technologies have been successfully commercialized with the private
sector in the areas of Health and Medicine, Transportation, Public Safety, Consumer,
Home and Recreation, Environmental and agricultural resources, Computer technology
and Industrial productivity. All of which have contributed to commercial expansion of
NASA and the private companies as well as improve our quality of life on Earth. Spinoffs from the Apollo mission have been amongst the most successful technologies that
have been modified to adapt to Earth situations. They were the ones that gave tech
transfer a push to go to the next level and for thus reason a return to the moon promises
many benefits that will benefit the economic sector as well as our quality of life on Earth.
(Still looking for some numbers to include in this part)
What moon colonization can bring to Earth
L. Roubert

Space tourism
From a social and economic standpoint it is evident that such feat would be
desirable. Some studies have estimated that space tourism could grow to a turnover of
100 billion Euros/year receiving only 10% of the space agencies’ budget. This
development would sharply reduce the cost of accessing the resources of space and
would also allow the agencies to invest their budget in other tasks. Such approach could
also be used to generate enthusiasm for space on Earth which will motivate more people
to pursue aerospace related careers. This will also allow NASA to find other sponsors
that will support space related projects. Once people see that NASA is effectively
executing their task, more people will look to be involved in NASA’s mission.

Products
Once we arrive at the moon, enthusiasm for space will eventually reach its peak.
This situation must be used to the advantage of the economic sector. Alternate ways to
involve the public must be developed in order to gain their economic support. The most
evident way would involve making available to the community products made from
moon materials. This would make the public feel involved in NASA’s mission and look
forward to what the future will bring.
3) Engineering
a) New technology development
Settlement on the moon surface would evidently require the development of new
technology that will allow human beings to adapt and work under space conditions. This
has been one of the factors that have prevented us from executing long term manned
missions. Technology development on the moon would allow us to develop more
advanced aircrafts and perfect materials that would help us withstand the harsh space
conditions as well as use these conditions to our advantage. These new technologies
could later on be applied and/or modified to adapt to earth situations in order to be
commercialized as spinoffs as well as prepare us for the exploration of other planets in
the future such as Mars.
b) Effective mission launches
When settlement on the moon goes beyond self-sustenance, it is expected that
items mined from the lunar surface, as well as those manufactured on the Moon, can be
exported to Earth and low-Earth orbit. It has been determined that it would cost less to
place satellites in low earth orbit from the moon than from earth. In the long term, such
advantage would lead the satellite manufacturing companies to the lunar surface and thus
allow these to generate more revenues that could be applied in order to develop more
missions instead of investing excessive amounts of money in launches. (Benaroya, 2004).
In addition to advantages from an economic standpoint, satellite launches from
the moon would also reduce the probability of experiencing mission complications since
the reduced gravity will facilitate the task of placing such objects in space. This would
allow engineers to direct their efforts and budget in other projects that may require more
time to develop.
What moon colonization can bring to Earth
L. Roubert
c) Moon mining-for resources and alternate energy options on Earth
Due to its strategic position near Earth, the Moon would play an essential role as a
source of resources for the development of near-Earth space. Its reduced gravity field and
elements essential in the development of space capabilities make it the ideal target to
mine for new resources. The most significant problem of lunar development is the
scarcity of fuel for spacecraft. Despite the abundance of oxygen present in the minerals of
the Lunar regolith, no concentrated sources of hydrogen or hydrocarbon fuels have been
registered. If rocket fuel must be imported to the Moon to launch payloads from the
Moon, it is very difficult to devise a low-cost Moon-to-space transportation system.
However, if both fuel and oxidizer can be obtained locally, a reusable transportation
system that can reach Moon-orbit space at low cost may be feasible. This is one of the
benefits that water at the lunar poles would provide, if it exists. Water would then be
electrolyzed on the Moon or in space to support a low-cost, Moon-based transportation
system. (Duke, 1998).
It has also been suggested that the moon can be mined in search for new energy
resources for Earth. It is believed that Solar Power generation can be one of the areas in
which we could succeed. The overall lunar surface receives as much solar power as the
Earth without the obstructing effects of the atmosphere. Studies have suggested that a
power grid can be placed in a strategic position on the surface of the moon so that more
than 50% of the grid is always in the sun. This could be a method used to generate power
for a moon base as well as for earth which could be accomplished by linking it to orbital
transmitters.
4) Political
a) Military testing ground
Militarization of space has been a debatable subject since the vision for
space exploration begun. In this aspect we would mainly refer mainly to the
development, testing and commercialization of dual-use technologies. The
commercialization of dual use technologies would serve to finance and support the
development of the lunar base. These technologies have applications in two different
economic sectors, such as materials technology that have military and civilian purposes.
Promising dual-use technologies that may be developed upon settlement on the moon are
self-repairing systems, low gravity and microgravity technology, micro- and nano
devices, robotic manipulators, and instrumentation. The moon would provide the testing
ground necessary for such technologies to be developed and later on be commercialized
in order to generate income to sustain the lunar base.
b) Space Colonization-to extend human presence through space
Space colonization would be the ultimate goal and for thus reason it will be the
one that takes the most time to accomplish. It has been said multiple times that the future
exploration of Mars as well as of the other planets may depend upon prior settlement on
one of the other planets. We do not yet possess in depth knowledge about space and have
not experimented enough in the space environment to send men directly to Mars.
Learning to maintain and manage a moon base would serve as preparation in order to
What moon colonization can bring to Earth
L. Roubert
determine if we possess the capability to succeed once we decide to carry out similar
operations on other locations of the solar system. Once we work on the resources that can
guarantee our survival on the moon and cover all other scientific, economic and
engineering needs, then and only then will it be possible to take the next step forward and
accomplish our objective to extend human reach through space. Such task requires long
term planning and it will probably take years to see the final result.
Moon Base
Science
Activities on the
moon
Astronomy
Economic $
Health and
Medicine
Tourism
Products
Engineering
Determination of technologies
and resources needed to
sustain human life in space
Technology
Energy
Resources
Political
Expand human presence through
Space
Mars
Figure 1. Simplified diagram of the roadmap for the colonization of Mars with the moon as a starting point
In conclusion, settlement on the moon will provide multiple benefits to Earth as
well as enable us to design a roadmap that would serve for the future colonization of
Mars and other planets. Economic and scientific activities on the moon would be used as
a mean to give an impulse to the engineering sector. The economic sector would look to
generate money which in part could be directed towards the development of technology.
Science would be in charge of developing medicine as well as studying space conditions
that we would have to overcome and thus help determine the technology necessary to get
to remote regions of the solar system. After such barriers are determined, the engineering
sector would be in charge of developing the technology and resources we would need to
overcome such barriers and accomplish the political goals of settlement on any of the
other planets. The moon provides the ideal environment necessary to begin our
preparation for the human conquer of space which means that we must take a course of
action in order to start determining ways to make it more feasible. Once we have found a
What moon colonization can bring to Earth
L. Roubert
way to establish permanently on the moon, the mentality will be directed towards
working in collaboration in order to reach the final goal of our roadmap to Mars. The
vision for space exploration would continue but we would now have the motivation that
will allow us to make it possible. We would now have the resources and the confidence
to believe that if we made it to the moon we can also make it to Mars.
References
H. Benaroya, “Prospects of Commercial Activities on a Lunar Base”, Solar System
Development Journal 1(2), 2001, p.1-19
H. Benaroya, “Doing Business on the Moon”, 55th International Astronautical Congress
of the International Astronautical Federation, the International Academy of Astronautics,
and the International Institute of Space Law, Vancouver, British Columbia, Oct. 4-8,
2004
P. Collins, “Space Tourism: From Earth Orbit to the Moon”, Advances in Space
Research, Volume 37, Issue1, 2006, p.116-122
D. A. Comstock, “NASA’s Innovative Partnership Program: Matching Technology Needs
with Technology Capabilities”, Air Force Space Command High Frontier, The Journal
for Space and Missile Professionals, Volume 3, No. 3, 2007, p. 22-26
D. R. Criswell, “Solar Power Via the Moon”, The Industrial Physicist, American Institute
of Physics, April/May 2002, p. 12-15
I.A. Crawford, “The Scientific Case for Renewed Activities on the Moon”, Space Policy
20 (2), ISSN 0265-9546, 2004, p. 91-97
M. B. Duke, R. J. Gustafson, E. E. Rice, “Mining of Lunar Polar Ice”, Aerospace
Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, 36th, Reno, NY, January 12-15 1998,
S.D. Ross, “Near-Earth Asteroid Mining”, Control and Dynamical Systems, California
Institute of Technology MC 107-81, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA, 2001, p. 1-24
W.H. Sigfried,“Space Colonization-Benefits for the World”, Volume 654, Issue 1,
January 2003, p. 1270-1278
W. H. Sigfried, J.E. Santa, “Use of Propellants from the Moon in Human Exploration and
Development of Space”, Acta Astronautica, Volume 47, Issues 2-9, July-November
2000, P. 365-375
What moon colonization can bring to Earth
L. Roubert