It comes as no surprise that a startup focused on launching orbital data centers is generating significant interest in today’s tech landscape. With an escalating need for artificial intelligence processing capabilities, industry giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are increasingly looking towards nuclear power plants as a sustainable solution to meet their growing energy requirements. According to a report from the Electric Power Research Institute, data centers are projected to consume as much as 9% of the total energy utilized in the United States by 2030. Furthermore, innovative locations for data centers are being explored; for example, Microsoft previously tested, and ultimately terminated, an experimental data center situated deep within the ocean.
Space-based data stations could offer advantages like reduced operational costs and a significantly lower environmental impact compared to terrestrial setups. These orbital facilities could ensure data availability in remote regions of the planet, provide constant connectivity during natural disasters, and, theoretically, allow for limitless physical expansion. However, substantial challenges remain. The costly nature of launching a satellite into orbit is a major barrier, with Lumen’s estimates indicating that the price hovers around USD 8.2 million. Additionally, latency issues caused by the great distances in space could negate the feasibility of specific applications, including time-sensitive financial transactions. Moreover, the harsh conditions of space—characterized by cosmic radiation and space debris—pose risks that may lead to hardware failures or challenges in data integrity and repair.
These complexities have resulted in a cautious stance from numerous governments and organizations worldwide, despite interest in orbital data centers from the global tech community. International laws and regulatory frameworks directed at burgeoning space technologies are still taking shape. Consequently, many nations and agencies are adopting a measured and exploratory approach, funding research projects that seek to define the future landscape of data centers in low Earth orbit (LEO) over the long haul.
As part of this effort, the EU commissioned a study from Thales Alenia Space, a leading global manufacturer of satellite systems based in France. The ASCEND (Advanced Space Cloud for European Net Zero Emission and Data Sovereignty) feasibility study, published in June, revealed that establishing data centers in orbit could dramatically lower energy consumption and curb carbon emissions in contrast to conventional Earth-based infrastructures. By harnessing solar energy as their primary source, these space data centers would even eliminate the necessity for water cooling, thus supporting Europe’s ambitious targets for carbon neutrality by 2050.
The study’s findings outlined a strategic roadmap that includes a 50-kilowatt proof of concept that Thales Alenia envisions deploying by 2031, with plans for scaling up to a substantial 1-gigawatt operation by 2050. Moreover, the analysis anticipates potential financial returns amounting to several billion Euros by the mid-century mark.
“The need for data centers for Europeans is growing and should continue in the same direction for the following years,” states Damien Dumestier, ASCEND project manager at Thales Alenia Space. “Space data centers could offer an opportunity to provide Europe with a lower environmental footprint and could also be a flagship for the future of the European space industry.”
In other innovative developments across Europe, a collaborative team of IBM researchers in Zurich, Switzerland, has teamed up with Poland’s KP Labs, recognized for its advancements in AI-driven software and hardware for space endeavors, to investigate the viability of orbital data centers for the European Space Agency (ESA).
In their forthcoming scientific paper, the research team examines three different scenarios envisioned for these data centers. The first two scenarios revolve around two satellites operating in tandem within the same orbit: one collects data, and the other processes it. In the first variation, a small satellite identifies wildfires, relaying raw data to a larger satellite for analysis before transmitting crucial insights back to Earth. The second scenario entails a satellite in LEO sending unspecified data to a geostationary space data center, which benefits from a continuous connection to ground stations. The third scenario proposes an innovative concept of a lunar lander functioning as a data center, processing information gathered from exploratory rovers and relaying relevant findings to Earth through a supporting satellite.
“We achieved what we aimed at,” asserts Jonas Weiss, Senior Research Scientist at IBM Research Europe. “We could show that there is likely an inflection point approaching, where edge computing of massive data in space will be economically more viable than sending it down to Earth.”
How does Thales Alenia Space plan to address the challenges of latency and environmental factors when developing orbital data centers?
**Interview with Damien Dumestier, Project Manager at Thales Alenia Space**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Damien! With increasing demands from companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon for data processing capabilities, how do you see orbital data centers fitting into the current tech landscape?
**Damien Dumestier:** My pleasure! The evolution towards orbital data centers addresses the pressing need for scalable data processing while also considering sustainability. As highlighted in our ASCEND study, these facilities could drastically lower energy consumption and curb carbon emissions compared to traditional data centers on Earth. By leveraging solar energy, we eliminate the need for water cooling, aligning well with Europe’s carbon neutrality goals for 2050.
**Interviewer:** That sounds promising! But what about the high costs associated with launching satellites into orbit?
**Damien Dumestier:** That’s indeed a crucial barrier. Estimates suggest that launching a satellite can cost about $8.2 million. However, this investment may offset by the reduced operational costs and increased efficiency of space-based data processing in the long run. Additionally, working on innovative financing models could make these projects more viable.
**Interviewer:** There are clear advantages, but what challenges do you foresee in establishing these orbital centers?
**Damien Dumestier:** Apart from the launch costs, there are latency issues that we need to manage, as the vast distances in space can complicate real-time data applications like financial transactions. Furthermore, we must contend with the harsh environment of space, including cosmic radiation and potential space debris, which could impact hardware performance and data integrity.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned in the ASCEND study the potential for financial returns. Could you elaborate on that?
**Damien Dumestier:** Absolutely. Our feasibility study outlines a roadmap starting with a 50-kilowatt proof of concept aimed for deployment by 2031, scaling to a 1-gigawatt operation by 2050. We anticipate that, by mid-century, these facilities could yield financial returns reaching several billion Euros. This could make a significant impact on Europe’s digital landscape.
**Interviewer:** As international regulations are still evolving, how is Thales Alenia Space navigating these complexities?
**Damien Dumestier:** We are adopting a cautious and collaborative approach, working with various governments and space agencies to help shape the regulatory framework. By funding research and engaging with stakeholders, we can help define best practices and ensure safe and sustainable development of orbital data centers.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Damien! It sounds like a fascinating and challenging project. We look forward to seeing how this technology progresses in the coming years.
**Damien Dumestier:** Thank you for the opportunity to share our vision! The future of data processing in space is indeed bright.
