SpaceX Proposes One Million Solar Powered Data Centers In Earth Orbit - CleanTechnica

SpaceX has proposed an ambitious plan to launch up to one million solar-powered satellites into Earth orbit to serve as data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) computing. Filed with the Federal Communications Commission on January 30, 2026, these satellites would operate between 500 and 2,000 kilometers altitude in sun-synchronous and 30-degree inclinations to maximize solar energy capture. The company claims this approach would offer transformative cost and energy efficiencies while significantly reducing the environmental impact compared to terrestrial data centers. The satellites would communicate via inter-satellite optical links and connect with Starlink spacecraft to relay data to the ground, though technical specifics and deployment timelines were not provided. The proposal highlights the growing challenge of powering AI data centers, which could consume up to 20% of global electricity in the future. While some governments push for renewable energy mandates for data centers, others continue to rely on fossil fuels, exacerbating pollution concerns. SpaceX’s concept aims to circumvent terrestrial energy limitations by harnessing near