Altman Says Musk's Idea to Put Data Centers in Space Is 'Ridiculous'
Business Insider • • general
Key Points:
- Elon Musk prioritizes developing orbital data centers through SpaceX, aiming to launch a constellation of a million satellites functioning as space-based data centers, with plans accelerated by SpaceX's acquisition of xAI.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman dismisses the feasibility of space data centers in the near term, citing high launch costs and repair challenges, and believes such centers won't be significant at scale within this decade.
- Despite Altman's skepticism, other tech giants like Google are pursuing space-based data centers, with Google's Project Suncatcher targeting solar-powered orbital data centers potentially operational by 2027.
- The push for orbital data centers comes as terrestrial data centers continue to expand rapidly, raising concerns over resource depletion, power grid strain, pollution, and impacts
