A research team partially funded by NASA published a magnificent result, which suggests that human will be able to live on the moon in the 2020s.
The Verge: A new NASA-funded study lays out a plan to return humans to the Moon
India Today: Humans may be able to live on moon in next decade: NASA
According to the roadmap, the study showed, NASA can send robots to the moon in 2017. And then, permanent base will be constructed on the moon within a decade. The team says that this plan is feasible to carry out with the current budget of NASA, using a public-private partnership with space companies such as Space-X founded by Elon Musk.
My past entry: Elon Musk also see the satellite
How a fantastic report it is! Indeed, the cost of sending things to the moon has been dramatically reduced for 46 years from the legendary landing of Captain Armstrong. Proceeding robotic landing in advance to human operation is realistic, to minimize the risk of fatal accident.
However, whether the government is willing to adopt the plan is unclear. There are many concerns of American people other than space project, as the report mentioned. Apollo project was quite decisive to defeat the Soviet Union in the cold war era, with showing the power of technology. But nowadays, the US is struggling for maintaining domestic safety. If the government declares the restart of space development, it will be criticized by not a few citizens.
Space development has a fascinating image. But as an investment, it is disastrous, even not an illusion. Colonization of the moon has been a great theme for Sci-Fi writers. However, there are several challenges in the construction of a city in which human can survive for a long term. Aside of technological issues, political conflicts and legal arguments are also annoying.
Wikipedia: Colonization on the moon
Considering them, I am doubtful that I will be a citizen on the moon. Nonetheless, The published report showed a possibility, very exciting.
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