zlacker

>>pseudo+(OP)
> Some parts of the moon are permanently shadowed and therefore extremely cold, as low as -173 °C. This means that no energy or water would need to be expended to cool the data center.

That doesn't sound right to me. If there's no air, then only black body radiation can be used to cool the data center. That means a massive radiator, a lot larger than a heat-to-air radiator+fan used on earth.

>>M95D+E6
I agree (problem for satellites), but then I wondered if you could dissipate the heat into the ground in a large area.

>>dekhn+W6
Isn't moon sand a very high thermal insulator?

edit:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9646997/ ("Thermophysical properties of the regolith on the lunar far side revealed by the in situ temperature probing of the Chang’E-4 mission")

Comparing against reference tables, it's more insulating than rock wool insulation,

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_42...

>>perihe+78
Rockwool is much better thermal insulator in vacuum as well…