Tech firms eye space data centers amid AI computing demand
With AI pushing the need for more computing power, tech firms are now eyeing space as the next frontier for data centers.
These off-Earth facilities could tap into near-limitless solar energy, skip land and water battles here on Earth, and cool themselves in the vacuum of space via radiators instead of water-based cooling systems.
SpaceX chief Elon Musk has set his sights on a launch attempt as soon as late 2027.
Experts say scale unlikely before 2030s
Experts aren't convinced we'll see these in action at scale before the 2030s.
Building out satellite networks and handling tricky cooling and maintenance issues are big hurdles.
Reliable internet connections are also a must: Transcelestial CEO and co-founder Rohit Jha points out that without strong links, these space centers won't be much use.
For now, they'll likely focus on heavy-duty AI tasks rather than replacing Earth-based data centers altogether.