If we have colonies on Mars I can’t see why we also wouldn’t have colonies on the moon if only to support ships going further out into the solar system. Refuelling on the moon makes much more sense than refuelling on earth.
The only way that isn’t the case is if we build a space elevator to bring resources up to spacecraft orbit, but if we’re at that point I still think we would build colonies on the moon just because, even if it’s just at the level of a Saudi Arabian vanity project.
If we have colonies on Mars I can’t see why we also wouldn’t have colonies on the moon if only to support ships going further out into the solar system. Refuelling on the moon makes much more sense than refuelling on earth.
The only way that isn’t the case is if we build a space elevator to bring resources up to spacecraft orbit, but if we’re at that point I still think we would build colonies on the moon just because, even if it’s just at the level of a Saudi Arabian vanity project.