Lunar water resources may limit the scale of future Moon cities

ORLANDO, Fla. — A new study by a Harvard astrophysicist estimates there may not be enough water to support permanent settlement on the moon.

The study evaluated how long lunar water resources could sustain human populations on the moon.

According to the research, the size of a potential lunar city significantly affects how long its water supply will last.

The astrophysicist determined that a city of 1 million people would deplete the moon’s water supply in less than two and a half years.

However, the study calculated that a smaller city of about 100,000 people would have enough water to last for 1,000 years.