SpaceX is requesting authorization to launch and operate a constellation of 1 million satellites with unprecedented computing capacity (orbital data centers) to power advanced AI systems, according to a new document filed with the FCC. 🚀🚀🚀

SpaceX: “Launching one million satellites that function as orbital data centers is the first step toward becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization—capable of harnessing all the energy of the Sun—while supporting AI applications used by billions of people today and ensuring humanity’s multiplanetary future among the stars.”

In the SpaceX document:
• SpaceX intends to deploy a system with up to one million satellites, operating in narrow orbital shells of up to 50 km each (leaving enough space to avoid conflicts with other systems with similar ambitions).

•The system will operate between 500 km and 2,000 km altitude, with orbital inclinations of 30 degrees and a sun-synchronous orbit.
•SpaceX plans to design and operate different versions of the satellite hardware, optimized for each orbital shell.

•The system will rely almost exclusively on high-bandwidth optical links for communication. These optical links will route it within the network and with satellites in the Starlink constellation, using its high-capacity (petabit) and high-reliability laser mesh, which in turn will transmit the traffic to authorized ground stations.

SpaceX added:
“With Starship’s ability to deliver unprecedented tonnage into orbit for AI computing, intelligence processing in space could surpass the electricity consumption of the entire U.S. economy — without the immense cost and enormous disruption of rebuilding the already overburdened terrestrial power grid to meet the explosion in demand for data centers. Thus, satellites functioning as solar-powered orbital data centers are the most economical, efficient, and environmentally responsible way to build the infrastructure needed to meet the growing demand for AI-enabled goods and services.”

“With the inherent efficiency of solar data centers in orbit and the rapidly falling launch costs thanks to the development of Starship, SpaceX will be able to scale its constellation in an economically viable way as demand increases and computing capacity evolves. For example, launching 1 million tons per year of satellites generating 100 kW of computing power per ton would add 100 gigawatts of AI capacity annually, with minimal operation or maintenance needs.”