Moon city dreams meet water reality: a sobering look at lunar settlement
An op-ed argues that despite water ice at the Moon’s poles and abundant solar power, a sustainable Moon city is unlikely: with optimistic water estimates (about a billion tons) and 98% recycling, a one‑million‑person city would run dry in roughly a century, though smaller settlements could persist for centuries. Feasible lunar habitation would require dramatically better recycling, reduced water use (e.g., via vertical farming), imported water, or discovering more water; overall, water is the key bottleneck to real, lasting lunar bases.