Elon Musk's Ambitious Plan to Turn Low-Earth Orbit into a Gigantic Data Center

Elon Musk's SpaceX is taking a bold step into the future with its plan to launch a data center constellation of up to 1 million satellites in low-Earth orbit.

TL;DR
• Elon Musk's SpaceX plans to launch a data center constellation of up to 1 million satellites in low-Earth orbit.
• The constellation will provide near-limitless power and capacity to support the AI boom without draining Earth's resources.
• The plan raises concerns about overcrowding in Earth orbit and the potential risks of in-orbit collisions.

Summary
Elon Musk's SpaceX plans to launch a data center constellation of up to 1 million satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The proposal, filed with the FCC, aims to provide near-limitless power and capacity to support the AI boom without draining Earth's resources. Key aspects of the plan include:
• Operating across a range of altitudes in LEO, with satellites spaced far apart to minimize collision risks.
• Utilizing third-generation Starlink satellites with high-speed laser links, offering over a terabit per second of downlink capacity and over 200 gigabits per second of uplink capacity.
• Deploying satellites in "largely unused orbital altitudes" with specific orbital shells and angles to maximize sunlight exposure for solar power generation.

The project raises concerns about overcrowding in Earth orbit, which already contains over 32,000 satellites and pieces of debris. However, Musk claims that the arrangement of the orbital data center would eliminate collision risks. The filing did not include a deployment schedule or cost estimate, but SpaceX requested a waiver of FCC milestone requirements.

SpaceX's Starlink is already the largest satellite constellation in orbit, and the company plans to launch the first batch of its third-generation Starlinks in the first half of 2026. The company is targeting a mid-June IPO to raise up to $50 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.5 trillion.

Experts have raised concerns about the risks of overpopulating LEO with satellites, citing the potential for catastrophic collisions and the Kessler syndrome. Despite these concerns, Musk is confident that his orbital data center would not increase the risk of in-orbit collisions. The proposal is part of a larger trend of companies racing to deliver on the promise of orbital data centers, which could support the growing demand for AI and data processing.

As we continue to push the boundaries of space exploration, it's essential to consider the long-term implications of our actions and ensure that we're prioritizing sustainability and responsible innovation.