2035

Starcloud: The Rise of Orbital Data Centers

Sep 17, 2025
In this discussion with Philip Johnston, founder of StarCloud, we dive into the innovative world of orbital data centers. Philip shares his vision of harnessing abundant solar energy for compute power in space, enabled by decreasing launch costs. He reveals plans to launch the first H100 GPU in November 2025, promising a 100x increase in space computing capabilities. The conversation touches on the engineering challenges of radiation shielding, heat dissipation, and the geopolitical implications of moving compute off Earth, paving the way for a revolutionary era of space-based technology.
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INSIGHT

First High-Power GPU In Orbit

  • StarCloud will launch the first NVIDIA H100 GPU to space, delivering ~100x more GPU power in orbit than prior missions.
  • The November 2025 demonstrator validates high-power compute and thermal systems in LEO.
INSIGHT

Launch Cost Is The Tipping Point

  • Falling launch costs (Starship) change business feasibility for space projects, moving thresholds from ~$60k/kg to potentially <$1k/kg.
  • At ~$500/kg orbital data centers become competitive with terrestrial energy economics, motivating StarCloud's white paper.
ADVICE

Secure Seed To Hire Top Talent

  • Raise credible seed funding before hiring to attract top space and data-center talent.
  • Use co-founders with domain credibility to recruit engineers from SpaceX and Microsoft.
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