The AI boom has also swelled the need for data centers, due to the increased demand for cloud computing. However, these warehouse-like facilities take up a lot of land and energy, thereby contributing significantly to global carbon dioxide emissions. In 2021, the data center industry accounted for 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Goldman Sachs predicts that by 2030, data center energy demand will increase by 165%. Shifting toward wind or solar energy is highly advisable for this growing industry, and having an on-site renewable energy plant might be favorable as well. The only problem lies in the vast scale of land requirement, which is not feasible in these times.
The other suggestion involves moving the data center and its operation into space. This will provide better access to solar energy. However, despite launch emissions being a fraction of what aviation produces, rockets leave carbon remnants at higher altitudes. To design an eco-friendly rocket to send data centers into space, the required emissions need to be cut by 10 times. However, no companies are currently actively pursuing the goal of building such a rocket.
In Europe, the ASCEND project is exploring the feasibility of moving data centers into space. Thales Alenia Space led a European Commission-funded study examining how shifting data centers into space will help us address greenhouse gas emissions.
Abu Dhabi-based space outfit Madari Space is already sending small components of data centers into orbit for technical demonstration. Transferring data from satellites to their bases on Earth takes a lot of time. Building data centers in space will significantly reduce this time. Madari Space has scheduled the deployment of a satellite carrying a payload no larger than a toaster oven, comprised only of computing equipment. Their dream is to develop a constellation of satellites that will work as a data center in space. In May of this year, China launched 12 satellites into space, a small portion of the 2800-satellite fleet it plans to launch to build a data center in space.
Lonestar Data Holdings, based in Florida, launched a small data center to the Moon; it landed on its side but is still working. In November, Washington-based Starcloud will send an Nvidia H100 GPU into orbit, which will have the most computing power. “My view is that in 10 years, almost all new data centers will be built in space, purely because of the constraints we are facing on building new energy projects terrestrially,” Philip Johnston, its CEO, said in the email.
Lonestar has signed a $120 million deal with spacecraft provider Sidus. The company will support production and on-orbit maintenance for six satellite-based data centers. The first one is set to launch in 2027 and will carry a 15-petabyte system operating from Earth.
Although the idea of shifting data centers to space seems like a good idea on paper, many are skeptical. The cost of sending a satellite into orbit is high, and exploring terrestrial options might be much more effective. Data centers in space will be protected from natural disasters and attacks, but space debris can jeopardize their operations. The data centers will also lead to the accumulation of electronic waste in space, with no solution readily available to clear it. Space isn’t free from disasters either, with solar storms being a significant threat to data center operations. Counterspace technologies like satellite signal jamming are also likely to become a defense mechanism in the near future, limiting the utility of a space-based data center. Lastly, repairing data centers in space will cost a fortune.
The idea of building data centers in space is lucrative, but the footnote on this technology notes that there are more disadvantages to it and that it is often ignored.
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