Future Tense Beyond the cloud — storing data in space
May 29, 2025
Steven Freeland, an Emeritus Professor and expert in space law, joins an intriguing discussion on moving data servers beyond Earth. They explore the potential of using solar energy in space for data storage, addressing both environmental concerns and the regulatory challenges this raises. The conversation touches on innovative projects aimed at establishing orbital and lunar data centers while navigating international treaties. With the rise of satellites and space debris, they also emphasize the importance of sustainable practices in this new frontier.
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Space Solves Data Center Challenges
- Data centers consume 1-2% of global energy and require even more energy for cooling.
- Space, with abundant solar energy and cold temperatures, could solve energy and cooling issues for data centers.
Lone Star's Shoebox Satellite
- Lone Star Data Holdings launched an 8TB shoebox-sized satellite as a data center proof of concept.
- They plan to deploy an array of satellites at the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point L1 for space data processing.
Future Large Orbiting Data Center
- Talos Alenia plans a large, lightweight data center twice the size of the ISS to be assembled in orbit by robots.
- Launchers big enough are not yet available but expected by 2030-2035 for deployment.