Ambitious lunar construction project may fail - reason
Scientists warn that lunar settlements could face a critical water shortage. Even with a reserve of one billion tons and 98% recycling efficiency, a city of one million people would last about 100 years. If actual reserves turn out to be 30 times smaller, a small settlement would run out of water in 10 years. The solution may lie in finding underground sources.
Scientists warn that ambitious projects to build large settlements on the Moon, promoted by Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, could fail due to a critical water shortage. Researchers calculated that even with one billion tons of water ice in shadowed craters at the poles, and with 98% recycling efficiency (as on the ISS), a city with a population of one million could only last about 100 years. The problem is compounded by the fact that actual water reserves could be 30 times smaller. In that case, even a small settlement would run out of water in about 10 years, and a base of 1,000 people would last several centuries. Scientists see a solution in improving water purification efficiency, introducing new technologies, and mainly in finding additional underground water reserves at depths of tens of meters. Without confirmation of such sources, building large lunar cities is premature.