Some countries and even wealthy individuals are setting their sights on the Moon with ambitious plans to create a lunar colony.
That would require a lot of resources launched from Earth, but how much water and power would be required to keep a lunar city going?
Astronomers Martin Elvis and Jonathan McDowell from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory have now taken a look at the resources required for several population sizes.
When it comes to power, the pair think it should be possible to generate sufficient energy even for a large city and without the need for nuclear.
They estimate it would be possible to generate 3 GW of electricity using kilometre-tall towers covered with photovoltaic arrays. Not only that but it would be possible to manufacture solar panels on the Moon given the amount of silicon on the surface.
Yet it is not good news when it comes to water consumption. We have known for well over a decade that the Moon’s poles contain water ice, possibly as much as a billion tonnes, with Moon orbiting craft mapping out likely locations in great detail.
Even assuming one billion tonnes of water on the Moon, if nothing was recycled then a city of a million would last only a few years while a population of 100 000 would run for 20 years before running dry.
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