Should the U.S. Build a Colony on the Moon?

Bubble-shaped living quarters. People riding in moon buggies. Astronauts bouncing high in the air with every step. The idea of humans living on the moon has long been the stuff of science fiction. But some experts think those dreams could soon become reality.

NASA, the U.S. space agency, plans to land astronauts on the lunar surface in 2026. The goal is to establish a permanent colony. The colony would be a base camp and training area for future trips to Mars.

For many Americans, the achievement would fulfill a long-held dream. From 1969 to 1972, NASA landed 12 astronauts on the lunar surface. But the longest stay was just shy of 75 hours, and no human has been there since.

Supporters of a lunar settlement say having people live on the moon could lead to scientific advancements that benefit all humankind. Critics, however, argue that money invested in the mission would be better spent fixing urgent problems on Earth.

Should the U.S. build a colony on the moon? Two experts who work in the space industry weigh in.

Plus, whichever nation settles on the moon first will set expectations about behavior in space. An unfriendly nation could claim lunar territory or use greedy and destructive mining practices to access natural resources there. We want a friendly country to be the first to settle the moon—so why not us?

Building a space settlement will be incredibly challenging. But as President John F. Kennedy, who pushed the U.S. space program forward in the 1960s, once said, we choose to do some things “not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” A moon settlement is a challenge worthy of our effort.

—Brian Patrick Green
Director of Technology Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University

NASA aims to establish a permanent presence on the moon “for the benefit of humanity,” but it isn’t clear what those benefits might be.

The idea of building colonies on other planets has been talked about for decades. However, the number of Americans who actually support such efforts is much smaller than you might think. In 2023, the Pew Research Center asked people to rank nine priorities for NASA in order of importance. Sending humans to the moon and to Mars came last, in eighth and ninth place. One of the highest priorities: getting a grip on climate change.

Warmer average global temperatures, rising sea levels, and more extreme weather events aren’t the only major challenges we face on Earth. Think about hunger, disease, and wars. Humans should address the problems on Earth before they begin living in space.

Money focused on helping Earth would benefit more people than money spent colonizing the moon. NASA has already poured $30 billion into the moon colony program. And by 2025, the overall investment is projected to reach $93 billion. Americans are footing the bill through the taxes they pay. Private companies that work with NASA, such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and SpaceX, will make a lot of money. But how will this public investment benefit taxpayers, let alone all of humanity?

—Linda Billings
Consultant to NASA’s Astrobiology Program and Planetary Defense Coordination Office