It's only natural to look at the moon and wonder what it would be like to live there. Thanks to Buzz Aldrin who landed there in 1969, we know it's a magnificent desolation. Even before the Apollo missions science fiction writers and scientists knew how desolate the place was. But, as far back as the late 19th century, they also saw it as a natural outpost. So did NASA, the former Soviet Union, and their respective militaries. And, that led to people on both sides drawing up elaborate plans for moon bases.