As artificial intelligence drives an insatiable hunger for computing power, data centers are projected to increase their energy demand by 165 percent by 2030. But what if the solution to this growing problem lies not on Earth, but in the cosmos?
The concept sounds like science fiction: launching data centers into orbit, where they can take advantage of cooler climes and continuous solar energy, untethered from terrestrial power grids and their accompanying carbon footprints. Yet this vision is rapidly moving from imagination to reality.
In Europe, the ASCEND project is leading the charge. This ambitious initiative aims to prove that space-based data centers could dramatically reduce carbon emissions while meeting the exponential growth in computing demand. The physics are compelling because orbiting facilities can capture solar energy 24/7 without atmospheric interference or the limitations of weather and sunless nights that plague Earth-bound solar installations.
