The moon could soon become humanity's first extraterrestrial construction zone, with plans for permanent human settlements, a levitating train system and innovative new nuclear reactors tentatively in the works. But before any of that happens, the moon's going to need light.
One day on the moon lasts the equivalent of two Earth weeks, and the freezing lunar nights are no shorter. These long, dark nights have already proved disastrous for lunar landers that rely on sunlight for power — and they could pose even greater threats to human explorers in the coming decades.
