It wasn’t too long ago since Nokia announced its effort to bring 4G to the moon. Now Microsoft has announced something for space too, called Azure Space. As the name indicates, this aims to bring the company’s cloud computing platform to infinity and beyond.

Or rather, Microsoft wants to make it so that its data centres can be connected to via satellites. This makes it so that, even if you’re in a remote area, you’ll be able to get access to the company’s cloud computing solution.

Getting Azure Space to work requires two things. One is the satellite network to do so. And for that, Microsoft is working with SpaceX for the latter’s Starlink network of low-orbit satellites. This will then connect to the second item, which is the Azure Modular Datacentre (MDC). These can be deployed in remote locations, and can operate without any other connection besides the satellite network. TechCrunch says these are similar in concept to the underwater data centres Microsoft tested earlier.

Of course, Microsoft will also be involved in things like simulating space missions and interpreting satellite data. These are part of what the company calls Azure Orbital Emulator instead. Microsoft says this is to train AI algorithms used in satellites before they are launched into space.

(Source: Microsoft)