SpaceX has filed an FCC application to launch up to one million data centers into Earth orbit, aiming to enable AI processing without stressing Earth’s resources, a concept echoed by other tech leaders exploring orbital computing infrastructure.

Space environments pose risks like single-event upsets and long-term device degradation; successful deployment would require redundancy, modular design, and adaptable architectures to withstand radiation and harsh conditions.

Economic viability depends on affordable launch and in-orbit assembly; while megacrafts could cut launch costs, building and upgrading million-satellite or large orbital centers would demand advanced robotic assembly and possibly new launcher capabilities.

In the near term, smaller orbital data centers for processing Earth-observation data in space are viewed as practical stepping stones that could prove modular growth and help develop in-space infrastructure, with broader deployment likely taking decades.

Proponents say space-based data centers could address energy and cooling challenges through constant solar power and radiative cooling, potentially lowering operating costs as launch prices fall.

Space debris and orbital congestion threaten safety and sustainability; large structures and rapid turnover could raise collision risk, complicating operations and necessitating coordinated deorbiting and traffic management.

Feasibility studies, including Thales Alenia Space, suggest Europe could host gigawatt-scale data centers in orbit by 2050, though this prospect remains controversial among experts.

Major technical hurdles include thermal management in sunlit, shadow-free orbits where equipment may run near 80°C, radiation hardening of chips and memory, and reliable in-orbit maintenance and replacement.