WASHINGTON, Jan 31 – SpaceX aims to deploy a vast network of up to 1 million satellites in Earth’s orbit, designed to capture solar energy and fuel artificial intelligence data centers. The company submitted a detailed application to the Federal Communications Commission on Friday, outlining this ambitious initiative.
Strategic Push in AI Competition
This proposal follows closely on discussions between SpaceX and Elon Musk’s xAI about a potential merger, which could pave the way for a major public offering later this year. Such a combination would accelerate SpaceX’s orbital data center ambitions as Musk competes fiercely with industry leaders like Google, Meta, and OpenAI in the accelerating AI sector.
AI data centers form the essential infrastructure for advanced computing, demanding enormous energy resources. The filing highlights how these satellites could revolutionize efficiency: “By directly harnessing near-constant solar power with minimal operating or maintenance costs, these satellites will deliver transformative cost and energy savings, while greatly lowering the environmental footprint compared to ground-based facilities.”
Regulatory and Technical Hurdles
SpaceX requires FCC approval to proceed with the project. Although launching 1 million satellites seems improbable—given that only about 15,000 are currently in orbit—companies often seek permissions for larger constellations to allow flexibility in design and scaling. For instance, SpaceX previously requested clearance for 42,000 Starlink satellites before deploying its current fleet of around 9,500.
The plan relies on cost reductions from Starship, SpaceX’s advanced reusable rocket. “The advent of fully reusable launch vehicles like Starship enables the delivery of millions of tons to orbit annually at high launch rates, allowing on-orbit processing to scale rapidly and efficiently beyond terrestrial options, with far less environmental strain,” the company stated in its application.
Starship’s Role in Expansion
Starship has undergone 11 test flights since 2023 and remains pivotal for enhancing Starlink with more capable satellites. Musk anticipates the rocket will begin orbital payload missions this year, supporting broader constellation growth.
