[WalterBright]

> Better to try and understand everything about them and their formation, then try to create as accurate a simulation as possible.

Why is that better? Learning if they can support life seems far, far more valuable and practical than better understanding of its geological history.

If crops can grow in it, then a moon base becomes far more practical, and with a moon base you'll have all the rocks you want for further study.

I.e. priority should go to "what do we need to know to build a sustainable moon base". Understanding solar formation history is of doubtful immediate value.

[Pfhreak]

Good question. I'm guessing that solar history could inform things like the histories of other world and their compositions. We might be better able to predict where to find water, or learn why Mars has no magnetic field.

If we can manufacture lunar regolith, and it's 99.9 percent the same, why use the real stuff (which is literally priceless) ?

[WalterBright]

If we can manufacture lunar regolith, then the real thing is not needed for any other studies, either!

> which is literally priceless

The price we'll pay for not using it will be the cost of extra missions to the moon to do those experiments there. We cannot plan a moon base without knowing whether crops will grow there or not.