We’ve all heard about the prospects of making Mars a habitable place for humans, but there have been talks about the moon being a viable option as well. In light of this, we consider whether the moon can be terraformed.
Yes, the moon can be terraformed in the distant future but that too with great difficulty. The moon has greater proximity with Earth, facilitating communication between the two. The composition of the moon also makes it a good option for terraforming.
Keep reading below for more information.
Can We Terraform the Moon?
The surprising truth is that we can, but only temporarily. The atmosphere degrades rapidly. Since the Moon’s gravity isn’t sufficiently powerful to keep the elements in place, hydrogen and helium are quickly lost, with the loss occurring every fifteen minutes on the sunlit side.
Yet, it has lost heavy gasses like nitrogen and oxygen over centuries, which is longer than the lifespan of most human civilizations.
As a consequence of the atoms being ionized and then being carried away by the electric fields that are connected with the solar wind, the atmosphere is able to lose both oxygen and nitrogen at a considerably faster rate when it is very thin.
They are nowhere to be found after approximately one hundred days.
For more information about whether we can terraform the moon, watch this video below:
What If We Terraformed the Moon?
Terraforming: Moon Vs. Mars
Because the planet Mars has long been considered a viable option for terraforming, we must compare its suitability with the Moon.
Why Mars Is Good for Terraforming
Mars is considered a great option because it has large amounts of water. These forms of water exist in both gaseous and solid states.
The history of Mars indicates that it had large surfaces of water for the first billion years, with oceans and rivers flowing throughout the planet.
The overall size of the planet Mars is considerably greater than that of the Moon. Although it has a scant atmosphere, it is rich in carbon dioxide and has a stronger surface gravitational acceleration than the Moon.
Why Mars Isn’t Good for Terraforming
Terraforming on Mars also poses a number of problems. Mars is at a great distance from the Sun which makes it receive less energy per square meter than the Moon. The overall surface and atmosphere of Mars are also unfit for humans.
Mars routinely experiences heavy winds and sandstorms, and its surface is covered with terrain that changes easily.
Unlike the Earth, Mars lacks a protective magnetic field that could have otherwise protected it from wind particles from the sun.
So, if humans were to exist on Mars, they would have to live underground (which is not a big problem considering the lava tunnels under Mars surface) in order to avoid the harmful radioactive particles.
The Moon, on the other hand, is a better alternative.
Because of its proximity to Earth, it is obvious that the Moon needs advanced technology to keep it terraformed; if both the Earth and the Moon share this advanced technology, they can collaborate effectively.
Since the Moon’s distance from Earth is constant, we may construct space elevators or space tether systems to make traveling to and from the Moon quick and easy. And make use of the same industries, making it simple to transfer materials from one production facility to another, etc.
The concept is comparable to that of a massive Stanford Torus, except that it would be used to transform the Moon. It makes a previously uninhabitable but vast area suitable for human habitation.
If Mars is capable of being terraformed, the process will take thousands of years and be fraught with risk. It may look like a new Earth, but if you can terraform it, it will require massive amounts of technology to keep it that way, and it may revert to its pre-terraformed state just as fast.
What Would it Take to Terraform the Moon?
The opportunities and threats associated with terraforming the Moon are strikingly similar to those associated with doing so on Mercury.
To begin, the Moon possesses an exosphere rather than an atmosphere because its atmosphere is so thin. The essential volatile components for life are also in limited supply (i.e., hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon).
Crashing captured comets with water ice and volatiles onto the surface could provide solutions to these issues. In their sublimation, comets would release gasses and water vapor that would condense into an atmosphere.
Water locked up in the lunar regolith would be released by these impacts and might pool on the lunar surface to produce natural lakes and oceans.
By transferring their kinetic energy to the Moon, these comets would cause the Moon to spin faster and free itself from tidal locking.
Colonization and adaptation to life on the Moon would be simplified if its rotation could be sped up so that it completes one rotation on its axis every 24 hours.
Paraterraforming would involve altering the Moon’s surface in a manner comparable to modifying Mercury’s polar region. This might happen at the Shackleton Crater on the Moon, where traces of water ice have been discovered by researchers.
This crater has the potential to be converted into a microclimate with the help of solar mirrors and a dome, allowing for the cultivation of plants and the production of an air supply.
If we follow these instructions, we just might be able to build humanity’s first permanent residence somewhere other than Earth. It’s possible to construct it on the Moon’s near side, where there would be constant radio contact with Earth.
Assuming we can store enough energy to keep ourselves alive, heat the environment, and maybe even light up the environment during the long lunar nights, creating the first human alien civilization is well within the realm of possibility.
Going to the Moon would allow us to terraform only the targeted region, bit by bit, while learning vital lessons that may possibly be applied globally, instead of just trying to terraform an entire planet.
There is just one chance to get things right in each of the many possible universes. We’d be silly to ignore the obvious solutions to the problem of terraforming first.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the moon can be terraformed when we have the resources to do so. Therefore, if you’re excited about the possibility of the moon being terraformable, it’s important to remember that we have a long way to go before that becomes possible.
