SpaceX to launch datacenters in space and aim at 100Tw of solar energy generation
The fact is that building, deploying, and maintaining datacenters in space is still hard and expensive, to say the least, but it's the new investor hype.
Key takeaways
- After Google and StarCloud announced that they were going to establish Artificial Intelligence (AI) factories in space SpaceX has also announced that the company will develop orbital data centers, CEO Elon Musk has claimed.
- Musk said that the company’s next-generation V3 Starlink satellites could serve as a foundation for eventual data centers by being scaled up.
- Dozens are expected to be launched with each Starship, with the company optimistically targeting an early 2026 start.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2025) 'SpaceX to launch datacenters in space and aim at 100Tw of solar energy generation', 311 Institute, 2 December. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/spacex-to-launch-datacenters-in-space-and-aim-at-100tw-of-solar-energy-generation/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
After Google and StarCloud announced that they were going to establish Artificial Intelligence (AI) factories in space SpaceX has also announced that the company will develop orbital data centers, CEO Elon Musk has claimed. Musk said that the company’s next-generation V3 Starlink satellites could serve as a foundation for eventual data centers by being scaled up.
Responding on X to an article about autonomous assembly for space data center construction, he said: “Simply scaling up Starlink V3 satellites, which have high speed laser links would work. SpaceX will be doing this.”
The larger V3 satellites are set to provide Terabit-class Internet speeds, but require Starship to launch, SpaceX's still-in-prototype new rocket. Dozens are expected to be launched with each Starship, with the company optimistically targeting an early 2026 start.
What 'scaling up' the V3 means, and when it becomes a data center, is unclear.
Speaking more broadly on the solar capacity that could be sent into space, Musk said: "Starship could deliver 100GW/year to high Earth orbit within four to five years if we can solve the other parts of the equation.”
"100TW/year is possible from a lunar base producing solar-powered AI satellites locally and accelerating them to escape velocity with a mass driver."
It is worth noting that Musk has a history of making grandiose promises and missing timelines by years. Sometimes products are scaled back significantly at launch, or never released.
Musk's pitch follows similar comments by fellow billionaires and rocket owners Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt.
Bezos, Amazon's founder and the owner of Blue Origin, last month said that there will be gigawatt data centers in space in 10+ years, while former Google CEO Eric Schmidt this year said that he acquired rocket company Relativity Space to put data centers in orbit.
A number of companies plan to deploy data centers in space, including Axiom Space, StarCloud, NTT, Ramon Space, and Sophia Space, to name but a few.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
The fact is that building, deploying, and maintaining datacenters in space is still hard and expensive, to say the least, but it's the new investor hype.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 2 December 2025. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2025). SpaceX to launch datacenters in space and aim at 100Tw of solar energy generation. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/spacex-to-launch-datacenters-in-space-and-aim-at-100tw-of-solar-energy-generation/
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