Terraformed Moon: Сan We Make The Moon Our New Home?

The Moon looks beautiful on the celestial canvas, but its beauty is deadly deceptive. We cannot live on the Moon, for there is nothing but cold, dead stone. But what if we could turn this grim cosmic grave into a cradle of new life?

Let’s fantasise a little and imagine that the Moon is terraformed. Instead of a cold and lifeless desert — blue sky, fluffy clouds, the sound of the surf, green forests… In science fiction novels and movies, people have terraformed planets and moons many times, but is terraforming actually possible? Let’s figure it out.

Why Terraforming the Moon?

First, let’s figure out what terraforming is. The term is derived from the Latin terra — “earth” and forma — “type,” and implies the process of changing the climatic conditions of a celestial body (planet, satellite or asteroid) to make it suitable for habitation of terrestrial flora and fauna, and ultimately, humans.

But why do we need this if we already have Earth, with all of these in the original form? Alas, the reality is that the population is growing, the Earth’s resources are finite, and the risk of global threats is becoming more tangible. The environment is deteriorating, the carbon footprint is growing, the Sun is blazing hotter, and mad midget dictators are threatening nuclear war. The terraformed Moon could become a kind of “insurance” for humanity, a backup option in case a big disaster happens to Earth. Or more precisely, when it happens.

But why the Moon, and not Mars, for example? After all, Mars, unlike our satellite, has at least some kind of atmosphere, meaning its composition would be easier to adapt to the composition of the Earth’s air.

The Red Planet is indeed considered a prime candidate for terraforming, but our satellite has some advantages, making it an attractive alternative.

Proximity to Earth

The average Earth-to-Moon distance is 385 thousand km. That is almost 600 times less than the average distance from Earth to Mars. With the spacecraft we have, a flight to our satellite will take 2–3 days, and to Mars – 200 days at best, provided we calculate the time correctly so that Mars is at perigee.

The close distance gives us advantages in logistics, communications, and emergency assistance. It will be easier and faster to deliver the necessary resources to the colonists, messages will reach them almost in real-time (in 2-3 seconds), and assistance — in a maximum of three days. In case of force majeure on Mars, the colonists will have to rely on themselves.

Resources 

The composition of our satellite has been reasonably well studied since Neil Armstrong set foot on its surface in 1969. We know that it has water, rare earth elements, and helium-3 (the perfect fuel for fusion reactors, an inexhaustible source of energy). Combined, this gives us a virtually ideal symbiosis of resources for creating a colony and terraforming the Moon. We do not need to bring anything, everything is already there.

Scientific and Technical Potential

The Moon has ideal conditions for astronomical observations; there is no atmosphere, which means no clouds, no precipitation — in short, nothing that could interfere with the view of the sky.

Our satellite is a good springboard for further space exploration, including manned missions to Mars, something NASA plans for the later stages of the Artemis program. A gravity assist from the Moon will “accelerate” the ship to Mars and save fuel.

Can the Moon Be Terraformed?

In theory, terraforming the Moon is possible, but in practice, there are many challenges to overcome:

Lack of Atmosphere

Our satellite has virtually no atmosphere, making it uninhabitable. Without a protective gas shell, breathing, protection from radiation, asteroid impacts, and maintaining a comfortable temperature, which, on the lunar surface, fluctuates from -173 degrees Celsius on the sunless side to +127 degrees at the subsolar point, are impossible. Can the Moon be made habitable? Yes, but to do so, it would be necessary to create a gas shell from scratch, which is an extremely complex and labour-intensive task.

Weak magnetic field

The magnetic field helps hold the atmosphere, preventing it from being “blown away” by the solar wind and protects us from radiation. There is practically no magnetic field on our satellite, so we will either have to create an artificial magnetic field or develop other methods of protection.

Low Gravity

The lunar gravity is six times weaker than Earth’s. If you weigh 80 kg on Earth, on the lunar surface, you will weigh 15 kg! This can have a negative impact on human health; in particular, it could result in muscle atrophy, decreased blood circulation, eye pressure, and problems with the vestibular apparatus. In addition, low gravity makes it difficult to maintain an atmosphere. We will have to find ways to increase the lunar gravity or adapt humans to life in low gravity.

Lunar Dust 

Moon dust, or regolith, is very fine and abrasive; it can damage equipment and enter human lungs. First, we’ll have to develop methods to protect ourselves from this scourge and then figure out how to create habitats on the lifeless surface with soil where plants could grow.

Terraforming the Moon: a Step-by-step Plan

How will this grand transformation process take place? Scientists propose the following plan of action:

Step 1: Creating Atmosphere

Creating an atmosphere is the first and most important condition for terraforming. Lunar soil (regolith) contains oxygen, which can be released through heating or chemical reactions. Water, found as ice in polar craters, can also serve as a source of oxygen and hydrogen. In addition, gases can be delivered from Earth or from the asteroid belt. 

Fortunately, delivery vehicles already exist. NASA has the SLS launch vehicle and the Orion spacecraft as part of the Artemis program. SpaceX is creating a reusable Starship spacecraft capable of transporting up to 100 astronauts and up to 250 tonnes of cargo to the Moon in one mission.

Step 2: Creating Hydrosphere

Liquid water is a prerequisite for life. In the first stages of terraforming, water will be delivered from our planet with spaceships. Then, NASA plans to use robots and astronauts to extract water from the Moon, as well as to create artificial reservoirs on the lunar surface.

Step 3:  Regulating Temperature

To maintain a comfortable temperature, it’s possible to place giant mirrors in orbit around the Moon to direct sunlight onto its surface, thus increasing the temperature.

The next step could be the creation of a greenhouse effect: special gases introduced into the atmosphere can create a greenhouse effect and retain heat.

Step 4: Radiation Protection

The weak magnetic field of the Moon makes us defenceless against radiation. Scientists are investigating the possibility of creating an artificial magnetic field on our satellite, but for now, this is more of a theoretical task. We could try to recreate the principle of generating the Earth’s magnetic field due to the movement of molten iron in the outer core (geodynamo), or create a giant solenoid (a coil with an electric current) around our satellite or its part. But all this is technically difficult and requires a powerful source of constant energy.

Obviously, it will be necessary to resort to other methods, namely, the creation of underground or above-ground structures that are protected from radiation.

Step 5: Forming the Soil

Regolith, even though it contains some mineral substances, is not fertile soil. It will be necessary to enrich the regolith with organic substances and minerals. But at first, it will be necessary to deliver soil from our planet and grow plants without soil — in water solutions (hydroponics) or in an air environment with periodic spraying with a nutrient solution (aeroponics).

NASA and other space agencies are conducting experiments to create a biosphere in lunar conditions, but it is still too early to talk about stunning results.

Glimpse into the future: What would a terraformed moon look like?

So what if we terraformed the Moon finally? What would it look like? Let’s start with an optimistic scenario.

Map of terraformed Moon has been transformed into a variety of landscapes. In some places, you can see vast plains covered with green meadows and forests, reminiscent of the steppes and forest steppes of Ukraine. In other places, mountain ranges rise, similar to the Alps or the Carpathian Mountains, with snow-capped peaks and crystal-clear lakes in the valleys.

Our satellite now has an oxygen-rich atmosphere, making the sky blue like on our home planet. However, due to the lower gravity, the clouds are thinner and higher. Sunsets and sunrises on the terraformed Moon are especially spectacular. The sun, as it sets below the horizon, paints the sky in vibrant shades of orange, pink, and purple, creating breathtaking views.

Oceans, seas and rivers appeared on the lunar surface. The climate varies from moderate to subtropical, depending on the region. In coastal areas, one can enjoy gentle sea breezes and warm weather, while mountainous ones — cool, fresh air.

Animals and plants adapted to the new conditions and created unique biomes, perhaps similar to those we see at home, but with some differences due to different gravity and soil composition.

But the most amazing view on the terraformed Moon is that of the Earth. Our planet, hanging in the sky, looks like a huge green-blue ball, creating an impressive contrast with the lunar landscape.

Now, let’s get down to Earth and describe a more realistic scenario.

The lunar surface remained mostly rocky and dusty but with some changes. The colonists created artificial domes or underground cities, protected from radiation and micrometeorites. These domes contain small parks and gardens reminiscent of desert oases such as those in the Sahara or the Arabian Peninsula.

Creating a full-fledged atmosphere is not yet possible, but inside the domes, an artificial atmosphere and gravity are maintained. The sky inside the domes is painted blue using special filters and lighting, which creates the illusion of the earthly sky. Outside the domes, the sky remains black, with bright stars and the Earth visible on the horizon.

Water is extracted from glaciers at the poles and redistributed for use in domes. The climate inside the domes is controlled by special systems that create comfortable living conditions. Outside the domes, the temperature remains extreme, with large differences between day and night.

Ecosystems within the domes are limited and carefully controlled. Colonists grow plants in hydroponic or aeroponic systems, creating small agricultural zones. Animals are limited to small species, such as insects or small mammals, that can survive in such conditions.

Terraformed Moon: is the mission possible?

Let’s be honest: a terraformed Moon, based on our current capabilities, will resemble high-tech oases in the desert rather than full-fledged terrestrial landscapes. Think of the Weyland Yutani Corporation colony on LV 426 in the legendary Aliens movie. A rocky, hostile terrain with gloomy, foggy skies and raging winds. But even that future is decades away. It’s time to savour the beauty and friendliness of the Earth before we “lunaform” it…

References and Additional Information

• Terraforming: The Creating of Habitable Worlds https://books.google.com.ua/books?id=dwm72BO5zoMC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false
• Terraforming and Geoengineering in Luna: New Moon, 2312, and Aurora Chris Pak https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5621/sciefictstud.45.3.0500
• Terraforming: why the Moon is a better target than Mars  https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/terraforming-moon-mars/
• Terraforming the Moon: a Viable Step in the Colonization of the Solar System? https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002iaf..confE.230R/abstract
• NASA Is Investigating The Possibility of Terraforming The Moon. With Robots https://www.sciencealert.com/nasa-is-investigating-the-possibility-of-terraforming-the-moon-with-robots