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SpaceX Seeks FCC Nod for 1 Million AI Satellites
31 Jan
Summary
- SpaceX proposes a network of up to one million satellites.
- The satellites would function as orbiting data centers for AI.
- The request was filed with the Federal Communications Commission.
SpaceX is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy a staggering network of up to one million satellites.
This initiative envisions creating a constellation of orbiting data centers with unprecedented computing capacity, specifically designed to power advanced AI models and their associated applications. The proposal highlights the accelerating demand for AI computing power and the increasing energy costs of terrestrial data centers.
The proposed 'Orbital Data Center system' would operate in narrow orbital shells, utilizing solar energy and orbiting between 500 km and 2,000 km altitude. These space-based data centers would connect to existing Starlink infrastructure using optical links, or lasers, to route traffic to users on Earth.
The company plans to leverage its Starship vehicle for rapid deployment of these satellites. This request follows the FCC's recent approval of a smaller batch of satellites for the second-generation Starlink constellation, indicating the potential for intense scrutiny of SpaceX's larger ambitions.
