This Week in Startups

SpaceX + xAI deal gets us one step closer to Musk Industries | E2243

36 snips
Feb 3, 2026
Breaking news about SpaceX buying an AI company and plans to launch data centers into orbit. Discussion of why space-based compute could be cheaper, from solar power to zero cooling. Speculation about a larger Musk conglomerate including electric vehicles and robots. Deep dive into OpenClaw’s top automation skills, security risks, and creative uses like Reddit tracking, Gamma decks, and task monitoring.
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INSIGHT

Compute In Space Becomes Economical

  • Space-based data centers could become the lowest-cost way to generate compute within a few years due to abundant solar power and Starship launch capacity.
  • Jason Calacanis and Alex Wilhelm highlight sunlight, cooling in space, and Starship's mass capacity as key enablers.
INSIGHT

Starship V3 Multiplies Launch Capacity

  • Elon Musk frames Starship V3 as adding 20x capacity per launch, dramatically reducing launch cost per kilogram.
  • That scale underpins ideas like lunar manufacturing and vast AI satellite constellations tied to xAI's compute needs.
INSIGHT

Space Removes Cooling And Real-Estate Costs

  • Space data centers avoid Earth's atmosphere and cooling costs, enabling near-zero energy cost for compute.
  • Jason emphasizes no real-estate and passive cooling as major long-term cost advantages.
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