🚀 go-pugleaf

Gentelmen......      (and Ladys)

   I have run across much speculation lately pertaining to the teraforming of
Mars. 
   While I find this fascinating I was wondering why the respective space 
programs have chosen to abandon the Moon? I realise that it's just a hunk of
rock but wouldn't it prove a more logical choice for a permant staging aera at
the very least? Also I see no reason why many of the techniques that have been
sugested for attempted teraforming couldn't be tested on a smaller scale on the
Moon. 
   I would appreciate it if anyone out there who is better informed than I 
(which is not a hard thing to be) would take a few moments to clear this up for
me.
                                           Many Thanks....