earth and more from orbit. The problem I see with this is that we still have to launch from earth to get there. I think eventually we will be able to mine and manufacture in space, limiting the need to launch from earth to only getting people or specific/complex devices up there. Ultimately allowing us to build much bigger and better space "stuff" . And IMO starting Yes, but I would hope that the plan is to use Moon materials to produce as much as possible. Hell, you could even just grab all that dead shit floating around in orbit to do something . At that point, it's like a used car. Manufacturing and most of the delivery cost doesn't even matter. it is because of energy considerations a base on the moon is useless. you could make a huge spaceshp there, but where does the *fuel* for it come from? the only practical source of oxidizer there is water, and water is extrememly rare on the moon despite the recent hoopla about finding moisture at a level that makes the flour in your kitchen look wet. as long as we use chemical rockiets, the moon is a foolish stopping point or base. There's tons of energy on the moon, if you're using solar and temperature differential sources. As far as getting your spaceship off the moon, you throw it [wikipedia.org], although you'd probably throw individual modules and assemble them in orbit. Fueling the spacecraft would be more complicated, but