Low earth orbit is just fine for figuring out life support as has been done on the ISS already.
Entirely false. On the Moon, we can exploit in-situ resources for life support. Regolith can be used for radiation shielding and the extraction of oxygen. We can even harvest water in certain locations. Crops can be grown using hydroponics. Doing these things while maintaining a spaceport on another world isn't going to be nothing. Getting experience doing ground based operations is going to be valuable. It's not just "dust." It's probably literally tens of thousands of things we will have to learn through hard won experience.
Ground-based operations. Better to get the experience where help is only 3 days away.
Entirely false. On the Moon, we can exploit in-situ resources for life support. Regolith can be used for radiation shielding and the extraction of oxygen. We can even harvest water in certain locations. Crops can be grown using hydroponics. Doing these things while maintaining a spaceport on another world isn't going to be nothing. Getting experience doing ground based operations is going to be valuable. It's not just "dust." It's probably literally tens of thousands of things we will have to learn through hard won experience.
Ground-based operations. Better to get the experience where help is only 3 days away.