In the past five years, there has been growing interest in idea of an immediate return to the Moon, and its development as a platform for science, industrialization and exploration of our solar system and beyond. This book describes the reasons why we should now return to lunar development and settlement, and how this goal may be accomplished. In "The moon: resources, future development and colonization", the authors consider the rationale and steps necessary for establishing permanent bases on the Moon. Their innovative and scientific-based analysis concludes that the Moon has sufficient resources for large-scale human development. Their case for development includes arguments for a solar-powered electric grid and railroad, creation of a utilities infrastructure, habitable facilities, scientific operations and the involvement of private enterprise with the public sector in the macroproject. By transferring and adapting existing technologies to the lunar environment, it will be possible to use lunar resources and solar power to build a global lunar power-communication-transportation-manufacturing infrastructure. This will support the migration of increasing numbers of people from Earth, and realization of the Moon's scientific potential. As an inhabited world, the Moon will become a centre for Solar System exploration, human settlement, and exploitation of the resources of near-Earth objects. The development on the Moon of an "off-Earth economy" will result in substantial benefits on our home planet.