Overview
- SpaceX has asked the FCC to authorize a constellation of one million solar-powered orbital data centers, each described as roughly 31 miles long operating more than 310 miles above Earth.
- At Cisco’s AI Summit, AWS CEO Matt Garman said space-based data centers are "pretty far" from reality, pointing to a shortage of rockets and prohibitive launch costs.
- A MoffettNathanson analysis estimated nine Starship launches per day for five years and a potential price tag approaching $5 trillion to reach the proposed scale.
- Aerospace and astronomy experts warned the envisioned fleet would sharply raise collision risk, create significant debris, and disrupt telescope observations.
- The filing, described as the first of its kind by a U.S. company, positions regulators to scrutinize Ka-band spectrum and debris issues as China advances its own orbital data-center plans.