Don’t forget power it as well. Watched a video where someone did the math and to generate the power required of a typical data center you’d need a solar array something like 40 times the size of the one on the ISS. It would be an absolute behemoth of a satellite and that’s without taking into account the cooling which would likely double the size again. Of course once you get that big then you have to worry about keeping the thing in orbit because moving that much mass isn’t exactly easy. No matter how you slice it it’s a stupid ass idea that doesn’t work.
Power is pretty much the only part of space data centres that does make sense. You can put them in an orbit to get 24hr solar power and its stronger than on the ground as there’s no atmosphere in the way. Large foldable solar panels are available, and unlike radiators you don’t have to pump liquids through them.
Other than hype (which is by far the major driving force behind companies talking about them) access to that power without regulation is the reason you would want to put them in space.
Also, with all that surface area on panels, I feel like there’s a way of having them double as heat radiators - one side captures energy, the other radiates it out…
Don’t forget power it as well. Watched a video where someone did the math and to generate the power required of a typical data center you’d need a solar array something like 40 times the size of the one on the ISS. It would be an absolute behemoth of a satellite and that’s without taking into account the cooling which would likely double the size again. Of course once you get that big then you have to worry about keeping the thing in orbit because moving that much mass isn’t exactly easy. No matter how you slice it it’s a stupid ass idea that doesn’t work.
Power is pretty much the only part of space data centres that does make sense. You can put them in an orbit to get 24hr solar power and its stronger than on the ground as there’s no atmosphere in the way. Large foldable solar panels are available, and unlike radiators you don’t have to pump liquids through them.
Other than hype (which is by far the major driving force behind companies talking about them) access to that power without regulation is the reason you would want to put them in space.
This makes sense to me.
Also, with all that surface area on panels, I feel like there’s a way of having them double as heat radiators - one side captures energy, the other radiates it out…