Should People Live on the Moon?

April 15, 2026

Lillian Stone

Graphic with large text that asks, “Should people live on the moon?” with “YES” and “NO” speech bubbles.

On April 1, four NASA astronauts blasted into space for a 10-day journey around the moon. The mission, Artemis II, allowed astronauts to go further into space than ever. And they got to observe the far side of the moon, which very few people have seen. According to a NASA press release, it will also inform future moon missions, with the goal of preparing people “to establish a sustained presence” on the lunar surface. Is lunar living a good idea? We asked TFK readers for their thoughts on the question. Here are some of their responses.

A smiling boy looks at the camera, with a green speech bubble that says “YES.”

Leo In, 10

Los Altos, California

I think people should live on the moon. It would be fun to go to space in a rocket. You’d blast off the ground really fast! You could float around, which is impossible on Earth. You could see stars and planets. You could even lift heavy things, because the moon has no gravity.

A smiling girl with long hair looks at the camera, with a red speech bubble that says “NO.”

Kate DeBusk, 10

Greeley, Colorado

I love looking at the moon at night. Building on the moon could take away how beautiful it is. Building a home in space would also be very expensive. Sending food and water to space costs a lot of money too. And it would be hard to send enough air if you were going to live in space for a long time.

A smiling girl looks at the camera, with a green speech bubble that says “YES.”

Mrinalini Chaudhri, 12

Franklin, Tennessee

Humans would greatly benefit from moving to the moon. We could use it as a trial, so we could adapt to the difficulties of living on another planet. We could discover new chemicals and minerals. Living on the moon would give humanity a chance to further understand the final frontier.

A smiling girl looks at the camera, with a red speech bubble that says “NO.”

Se-ah Kim, 9

Seoul, South Korea

The moon lacks the water, food, air, and shelter we need to survive. Without these essentials, we wouldn’t last long. Plus, if you wanted to go for a swim, you’d be out of luck, because there are no swimming pools or oceans! Living on the moon would be incredibly difficult.

Rafaela Musegante, 12

Salvador, Brazil

Despite the risks, living on the moon would have advantages. It would allow humans to decrease dependency on Earth. By exploring space, we could also find different kinds of clean energy. Living on the moon would be a challenge, but it could lead humanity to a new home: space!

Close-up of a child looking down at the camera with a neutral expression, with a red speech bubble that says “NO.”

Greyson Murray, 12

Lenox, Massachusetts

The average size of a space station is a few hundred feet. Being cooped up in these spaces can cause mental health issues. People would go stir-crazy! Funding a project like that would cost billions. I think we should focus on more important causes, like solving world hunger.

The Next Debate: Are movie theaters outdated? Email your opinion to tfkeditors@time.com by July 3. Your response might be featured online or in an upcoming issue.

*Submissions have been edited only for length and clarity. They are not intended to reflect the views of TIME for Kids. Ages are accurate as of the time of submission.