Why? Because the Inflatable Reflectives Network can live without a manned lunar base. Space colonization is important, but there is neither a good microtech for a manned lunar base nor a good microtech for a large artificial base in free outer space. Self-replicating automata can be better, even when there is no nanotech that digests moon rocks.
It is far better to develop new ideas for balloons and airship instead of backing up living subjects of human civilization on the moon. As we know, mars is supposed to carry the necessary amount of hydrogen for a reasonable space colonization. Not the moon! So we have to drop manned projects on the moon for the sake of a cheaper robot technology. No terraforming on the martian biosphere, but an economic development of some underground biospheres on mars where our plants and animals can find their home.
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