SpaceX Plans Orbiting Data Centers Powered by Starlink Satellites

Elon Musk and SpaceX have confirmed plans to develop data-processing and storage infrastructure in orbit, leveraging their Starlink satellite network and its upcoming third-generation V3 satellites, which are expected to achieve data capacities up to 1 terabit per second with direct laser communications between satellites. This initiative aims to create orbital data centers that could revolutionize global IT infrastructure by providing decentralized, scalable, and largely self-sufficient computing power powered by constant solar energy in space, overcoming terrestrial limitations such as energy consumption, land scarcity, and cooling challenges. Collaborations with companies like Rendezvous Robotics, which develops modular components that can assemble in zero gravity, and Starcloud, planning to launch a satellite with high-performance AI GPUs, demonstrate the technological advancements enabling construction and operation of these massive data centers in orbit. Industry experts highlight the transformative potential of space-based data centers for global compute and storage, edge computing, and disaster resilience, though challenges remain in powering such large satellites and deploying them at strategic orbits. SpaceX plans to launch approximately 60 Starlink V3 satellites per Starship rocket, with deployments expected to begin in 2026, marking a significant step toward operationalizing data centers in space.