SpaceX Seeks Approval To Deploy Up To One Million Satellites For AI Computing
Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, has submitted an application to deploy as many as one million satellites into Earth’s orbit, a move it says is aimed at meeting the rapidly growing global demand for artificial intelligence computing power.
In the filing made to the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), SpaceX proposes the creation of what it describes as “orbital data centres” – satellite-based computing systems designed to process and store data in space. According to the company, the surge in AI usage is already pushing the limits of traditional, land-based data infrastructure.
Conventional data centres are typically massive facilities filled with high-performance computers that consume large amounts of electricity and water for cooling. SpaceX argues that placing computing systems in orbit would be a more cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative as AI workloads continue to expand.
If approved, the plan would represent a dramatic expansion of SpaceX’s presence in space. The company currently operates nearly 10,000 Starlink satellites, a network designed to provide global broadband internet. That constellation has already drawn criticism from scientists and space analysts who warn of increasing congestion in low-Earth orbit – claims Musk has consistently dismissed.
The new proposal suggests a vast network of solar-powered satellites operating at altitudes between 500 and 2,000 kilometres above Earth, similar to the existing Starlink system. While the FCC application does not outline a specific launch timeline, SpaceX says the system could deliver computing capacity capable of serving “billions of users worldwide.”
The company also framed the project in ambitious, long-term terms, describing it as a step toward humanity becoming a “Kardashev Type II civilisation” – a theoretical stage at which a society can harness the full energy output of the Sun.
Responding to concerns about visibility and crowding in orbit, Musk said on his social media platform X that the satellites would be widely spaced. “Space is so vast as to be beyond comprehension,” he wrote, adding that it would be difficult to see one satellite from another.
While SpaceX maintains that orbital data centres could offer environmental benefits, experts remain cautious. Some analysts note that launching hardware into space remains costly and technically complex, particularly when it comes to cooling, shielding and maintaining equipment. Others have warned that the growing volume of satellites in low-Earth orbit increases the risk of collisions, which could damage spacecraft or create debris that might eventually fall back to Earth.
Astronomers have also raised concerns in recent years about interference from satellite constellations. In 2024, researchers complained that radio signals from Starlink satellites were disrupting telescope observations and affecting scientific studies.
Despite the criticism, Musk has repeatedly rejected claims that SpaceX’s satellites are overcrowding Earth’s orbit or limiting access for other operators. The FCC is expected to review the application as part of its ongoing oversight of commercial space activity.
