In a move that could reshape the future of computing, Elon Musk has thrown his weight behind the concept of orbital data centers, joining a growing chorus of tech billionaires betting on space to meet Earth's exploding demand for AI-driven processing power. Elon Musk, whose SpaceX operates the world's largest satellite constellation, declared on X (formerly Twitter) that his company will adapt its Starlink technology for massive space-based data facilities. "Simply scaling up Starlink V3 satellites, which have high speed laser links would work," Musk posted in response to an Ars Technica article on autonomous space assembly. "SpaceX will be doing this," Elon Musk wrote.
The announcement elevates a once-fringe idea into mainstream contention. Proponents highlight unlimited solar energy and zero terrestrial environmental impact—key advantages as ground-based data centers face mounting opposition over power consumption and land use. Critics, however, dismiss it as economically unfeasible, arguing that the engineering hurdles are vastly underestimated.
Musk's entry follows high-profile interest from other industry giants. In May, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt acquired rocket manufacturer Relativity Space, driven by his vision for orbital computing hubs. Earlier this month, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos forecasted gigawatt-scale data centers in space within 10 to 20 years, framing it as part of a broader trend to leverage orbit for Earth's benefit.
SpaceX's Starlink network already challenges skeptics: it delivers profitable high-speed internet to millions globally via thousands of satellites. If Musk succeeds in repurposing this architecture, it could silence doubters in the nascent space data center sector, where startups like Starcloud are already pioneering solutions.
What Jeff Bezos said on Data centres in Space
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently predicted that gigawatt-scale data centres will be built in space within the next 10 to 20 years and that continuously available solar energy meant they would eventually outperform those based on Earth. Speaking at the Italian Tech Week in Turin, Bezos said, "These giant training clusters, those will be better built in space, because we have solar power there, 24/7. There are no clouds and no rain, no weather." In a public conversation with Ferrari and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann, Bezos said, "We will be able to beat the cost of terrestrial data centres in space in the next couple of decades."
As AI fuels insatiable demand for storage and compute, space-based infrastructure is no longer science fiction -- it's a competitive frontier where Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Eric Schmidt are racing to dominate.
The announcement elevates a once-fringe idea into mainstream contention. Proponents highlight unlimited solar energy and zero terrestrial environmental impact—key advantages as ground-based data centers face mounting opposition over power consumption and land use. Critics, however, dismiss it as economically unfeasible, arguing that the engineering hurdles are vastly underestimated.
Musk's entry follows high-profile interest from other industry giants. In May, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt acquired rocket manufacturer Relativity Space, driven by his vision for orbital computing hubs. Earlier this month, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos forecasted gigawatt-scale data centers in space within 10 to 20 years, framing it as part of a broader trend to leverage orbit for Earth's benefit.
SpaceX's Starlink network already challenges skeptics: it delivers profitable high-speed internet to millions globally via thousands of satellites. If Musk succeeds in repurposing this architecture, it could silence doubters in the nascent space data center sector, where startups like Starcloud are already pioneering solutions.
What Jeff Bezos said on Data centres in Space
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently predicted that gigawatt-scale data centres will be built in space within the next 10 to 20 years and that continuously available solar energy meant they would eventually outperform those based on Earth. Speaking at the Italian Tech Week in Turin, Bezos said, "These giant training clusters, those will be better built in space, because we have solar power there, 24/7. There are no clouds and no rain, no weather." In a public conversation with Ferrari and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann, Bezos said, "We will be able to beat the cost of terrestrial data centres in space in the next couple of decades."
As AI fuels insatiable demand for storage and compute, space-based infrastructure is no longer science fiction -- it's a competitive frontier where Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Eric Schmidt are racing to dominate.
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