New Delhi, Aug. 9 -- If there is a measure of the difficulty of living and working on the Moon, it would be that the challenge is extreme, yet possibly achievable.

Human beings would be highly vulnerable on the Moon to solar winds and cosmic radiation. One of the first requirements would therefore be to build protective structures while simultaneously harnessing solar energy and locating sources of water, which may exist in the form of ice deep within permanently shadowed craters.

Protection from radiation, reliable energy, access to water and sustainable life-support systems would all have to come together before a viable lunar habitat could become a reality.

The journey into space has always been driven by the search for knowledge. W...