Starcloud Plans 88,000 Satellites for Space Data Centers

A startup named Starcloud has applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for authorization to deploy a constellation of up to 88,000 satellites. These satellites are intended to function as orbital data centers, specifically designed to support the escalating computational needs of artificial intelligence and other applications. Starcloud argues that space-based data centers offer a more cost-effective and scalable solution than terrestrial deployments, which are facing significant growth roadblocks.

The proposed satellites would operate in low Earth orbits between 600 and 850 kilometers altitude, utilizing sun-synchronous orbits for consistent solar power generation. Starcloud has emphasized its commitment to safe and sustainable orbital practices, including designing satellites for full demisability upon reentry and coordinating with the astronomy community. This initiative follows Starcloud's initial deployment of Starcloud-1 in November, a small satellite that successfully tested an Nvidia H100 processor in orbit for AI model execution.