SpaceX, submitted an authorization request to the FCC to operate their orbital data center system on Friday, kicking off the race to bring data centers to support AI in space.
The request asks for approval to launch and operate up to a one million satellite constellation that will utilize a sun-synchronous orbit to obtain near constant solar power.
That’s a lot more than they currently manage…
SpaceX currently operates around 9,400 functioning satellites through its starlink broadband system, making this request a more than 100-fold increase in operational scale. The application letter doesn’t provide specific details on the satellites themselves, but does say it hopes to operate between 500 kilometers (km) and 2000 km above earth’s surface with orbital shells of 50 km suggesting there would be “sufficient room to deconflict against other systems with comparable ambitions”