Max Q is a newsletter published each week by TechCrunch, dedicated to the topic of space exploration. Subscribe here to have it delivered to your email inbox every Sunday.

Recently, we announced the program for TC Sessions: Space for the very first time. This is our first event specifically designed for companies working in the space industry and the technologies they develop, and it will take place on December 16th and 17th. The event will be held online, allowing attendees to participate conveniently from any location globally.

The event features a remarkable group of speakers, including individuals frequently featured in our reporting. NASA’s Administrator, Jim Bridenstine, will be present, alongside the head of the U.S. Space Force, Jay Raymond, and Peter Beck, the CEO of Rocket Lab, among others. Registration is currently open, so secure your tickets quickly to take advantage of the lowest available pricing.

SpaceX deployed 120 Starlink satellites in the past week

NASA obtains rock specimen from asteroid’s surface

In a groundbreaking achievement, NASA has successfully retrieved a sample from the surface of an asteroid. This milestone was accomplished by the OSIRIS-REx robotic exploration probe, developed in collaboration with Lockheed Martin. While OSIRIS-REx continues its operations at Bennu, the asteroid where the sample was obtained, it is scheduled to commence its return journey next year. The collected material will then be delivered to Earth for detailed analysis by researchers.

NASA Confirms Water Detection on the Moon’s Sunlit Surface

This week has been particularly productive for NASA, as researchers utilizing the SOFIA airborne observatory have definitively identified water molecules on portions of the moon directly illuminated by the sun. While the possibility of water in these areas had been theorized, this marks the first time its existence has been conclusively demonstrated. Although the quantity of water detected is not substantial, this finding holds significant implications for the progression of future human endeavors in deep space.

Microsoft partners with SpaceX, unveils ‘Azure Space’

Microsoft is significantly expanding its involvement in the space industry through Azure Space, a recently established division dedicated to managing all space-related activities linked to its cloud computing services. This initiative encompasses the development of a novel, transportable data center solution. Connectivity for this data center will be partially provided by SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet network, enabling adaptable and readily available computing resources in close proximity to points of demand.

Intel’s local AI processor is now operating in space

Intel has equipped a compact satellite with its Myriad 2 Vision Processing Unit, a processor designed for efficient artificial intelligence tasks at the network edge. This integration allows the satellite to independently analyze and categorize images of Earth captured by its cameras, thereby conserving valuable data transmission capacity for sending pertinent information to scientists and researchers back on Earth. Utilizing AI directly on the satellite promises to significantly improve the operational efficiency of satellite networks, though this technology is still in the early stages of development.

Lockeed Martin selects Relativity for NASA mission

Relativity Space is developing innovative rockets utilizing 3D-printing technology, and while orbital launch remains a future milestone, the company has recently been awarded a significant government contract. Lockeed Martin has chosen Relativity’s rocket to support an upcoming NASA mission focused on the evaluation of fluid management technologies.