SpaceX seeks FCC nod for 1M solar-powered satellite data centers for AI(www.reuters.com)
6 pointsby trhway7 hours ago3 comments
  • delichon6 hours ago
    Their 2020 patent on a satellite chassis optimized for heat dissipation:

    https://x.com/seti_park/status/2015114363531866448

    They claim 12.6 watts/kg. A fully reusable Starship is expected to orbit 100 to 150 tons of cargo, so ~1 to 2 megawatts of compute per launch.

    A 1MW datacenter in the US would cost around $10M to build, and consume around $100k/month in electricity, free to the satellite.

    A Starship launch is projected to cost around $10M, which doesn't include the satellites. So it looks more expensive than a conventional data center even with optimistic assumptions. It may depend on those becoming more expensive to be practical.

    • CamperBob26 hours ago
      Why not just run the terrestrial data center from PV panels? That's free, too.
      • delichon6 hours ago
        Mostly intermittency. In space it can be 24/7.
        • CamperBob25 hours ago
          Gotta believe that PV+battery storage is cheaper than PV in space, on a watt-for-watt basis.
          • delichon5 hours ago
            Battery backup for 24/7 operation would roughly double the CapEx for power. Maybe that's still cheaper than space? Land scarcity alone, not to mention social resistance or ecological costs, will tend to favor scaling in space for the longer term.
            • CamperBob24 hours ago
              Battery backup for 24/7 operation would roughly double the CapEx for power. Maybe that's still cheaper than space?

              I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

  • Bender5 hours ago
    What will the data-center operations team look like and who is "go for launch" to replace a failed component? Will DCOps be rocket robots and just hang out in space? But seriously what is the real purpose of this and don't say AI. If so those would have to be some incredibly massive never seen before solar panels.