Earth is not enough for AI. Musk wants to move servers to orbit

SpaceX, the world's richest man, Elon Musk, is seeking to launch a million satellites into Earth orbit to enhance the development of artificial intelligence, the BBC reported.

The application to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says that “orbital data centers” are the cheapest and most effective way to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence computing power.

In their traditional form, data centers are large halls with enormously powerful computers that process and store data. According to SpaceX, data processing needs already exceed “earth capacity” due to the increasing use of artificial intelligence.

If SpaceX's application is approved, it would greatly increase the number of its satellites in orbit. The existing network of Starlink satellites amounts to nearly 10,000. Musk denies accusations that such a number creates congestion in space.

“These satellites will be so far apart that it would be difficult to see one from the other. The vastness of space is beyond imagination,” Musk wrote on X.

The new satellites, like Starlink's, would be placed in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 500-2000 km.

According to SpaceX, “orbital data centers” would provide a greener alternative to traditional ones, which require huge amounts of energy and water for cooling.

One expert told the BBC that launching computer equipment into orbit is a costly endeavor, can require complex infrastructure to protect, cool and power it, and could be threatened by growing amounts of space debris.

Another expert warned that the increasing number of equipment in low orbit increases the risk of collision, which could damage the machine and knock parts of it to Earth.

Astronomers, however, complained in 2024 that the radio waves of the Starlink network were “blinding” their telescopes and making research difficult. (PAP)

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