Mining on the Moon
It seems to me that the discovery last year of water ice on the Moon has changed the whole situation with regard to human space exploration and colonization. If there is enough ice, then (as many have already pointed out) it could be mined, and used for oxygen to breath, water to drink and irrigate plants, and hydrogen for rocket fuel. This could all be done on the lunar surface, using solar power.
This would make lunar colonies much cheaper and more practical than if all the water needed had to be transported from Earth. However, it isn't only lunar colonies that become more viable as a result of this discovery. The ability to make oxygen and hydrogen on the low-gravity Moon would be an enormous boost to manned space travel to other parts of the Solar System, such as Mars. Why schlep all the water, oxygen and rocket fuel needed for long space voyages from the Earth's surface if you can get them all on the Moon?
It also occurs to me that a company prepared to build mining and processing facilities on the Moon to produce these three commodities could make an absolute fortune. Therefore even if nobody wanted to actually live on the Moon, I reckon that lunar mines might become very important indeed in 50-100 years time. Or maybe sooner?
If anyone has a couple of billion to spare, drop me a PM and we could get the ball rolling right now!
