One settlement a world does not make! Of course one must start with a single site, and it will be able to serve most of the initial needs. But no site has all the assets. Soils differ not only from highland ( or terrae ) to mare but also from mare to mare and even within a given mare. Different materials are available to the prospective processor or miner at such sites as crater and rille walls, the central peaks of some large craters, and the so-called dark mantle deposits.

Some polar areas might have permashade fields of frozen volatiles like ice and carbon oxides. Some sites will be especially scenic. Locations along the limb between nearside and farside librate: the Earth will alternately be just above and just below the horizon — anyone want to build the first Lunar Honeymoon Resort? An observatory dedicated to the Great Andromeda Galaxy, M31, could be built in the north, while a similar installation in the south could concentrate on the Magellanic Clouds. Farside would be best for observation of the Milky Way and for giant radio telescopes and SETI searches, etc.