#35: Quantum computers on the moon (data centers in space, part 2)

Order a "What the Fractal?" t-shirt now! Explore The Space Between Astronomy Podcast merch store:⁠https://the-space-between-podcast.printify.me/⁠---In this episode of The Space Between, we venture to the far side of the Moon—not for radio silence or alien bases, but for quantum computation. As the race to scale quantum systems heats up on Earth, researchers and futurists are eyeing the cold, quiet vacuum of space as a natural habitat for the most sensitive computers ever conceived.We explore the radical proposition: what if the next leap in quantum computing doesn’t happen in Silicon Valley or Shenzhen—but in a permanently shadowed crater beyond Earth’s radio reach? From ultra-low temperatures to freedom from electromagnetic noise, the Moon’s far side offers conditions you can’t replicate on Earth. But it also demands infrastructure that doesn’t yet exist—nuclear power, laser comms, robotic maintenance, and maybe even lunar laws.We break down the physics, the politics, and the speculative tech stacks behind this idea, including how it might transform secure communications, deep space AI, or even help humanity process the next Event Horizon Telescope image in days instead of years. Along the way, we dig into who’s quietly laying the groundwork—from space agencies to quantum labs—and why this isn’t just science fiction anymore.Also in the mix: China’s moonbase ambitions, the latest on NASA’s Artemis III delays, and a short, weird detour into whether lunar helium-3 mining might actually fund quantum servers on the Moon.It’s an episode where moonshots meet moonlight, and the future of computing might just be hiding in the shadows.