The Next Outpost

Suppose you oversaw a space program. Where would you target as the next best location for a human outpost?
There are several factors to consider. The first and foremost would be intent. What do you wish to accomplish with your new outpost? Do you want to plant a new, viable human colony? Are you seeking a new site for scientific exploration? Is resource acquisition (mining of minerals or distillation of gas/liquids) your goal? Perhaps you just want a good support facility to make further exploration of the solar system easier.
If you want to build a new human colony, your main concerns are the preservation of human life. You would seek out a location that provides at least some of the essentials necessary for life and a few of the hazards inimical to life.
If you want to further science, you’ll seek out a location that provides conditions favorable to the kind of experiments you emphasize. A location with no atmosphere would facilitate astronomical research. A site with potential indigenous life would aid our understanding of life not like our own.
If you want to manufacture minerals, you want a location with lots of rocky material. To harvest gases, you’d search for a place abundant in light elements. Or, maybe you wish to accomplish more than one of these goals. After all, a human colony with no other purpose may not develop enough outside interest to sustain operations. A human colony that produces goods useful on Earth (or other habitats) can participate in the existing economy.
Consider the factors involved. Assess the dangers and benefits. Plan your outpost. Write a 3-5 page essay detailing your plan, the pros, and cons of your idea and how it will be sustained for the long term. As always, the quality of your writing and your adherence to expected forms will be a part of your grade, along with your degree of success in addressing the required content.