What if a group of nations was determined to put a town on the Moon, and they based their decisions only on technical and economic merit?
We built a virtual moon town that might exist after a few decades of such a venture. It’s all designed properly – realistic and sensible. We put it in a real place – Lalande crater. Enter it and it’s all there – the ships, rovers, habitats, machines.
To have an experience of living on the moon, take a good long tour through Moon Town. Follow virtual residents going about their day. Operate the equipment and learn how it works. Attend events by the community. Play in the lunar parks, garden in the farms, drive around, act out common activities.
Want to go further? Moon Town is meant to grow, it’s a platform. Reserve a plot and build a home. Fill out the habitats with gardens, markets, offices, all the facilities of a town. Design the machinery that mines, manufactures, transports, handles power, communications, research. Plan new habs. Write a story and film it in the town. Use the town or its contents in a game.
It’s all open source and you can use it however you like. It’s as open-ended as our future is right now. There are no cliches here, no fantasies. The day is nearly here when real ships will launch to really settle another world. There is a great deal we need to think about before then. Be a part of Moonwards.