this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2026
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How hard is it to build orbital data centers, actually? (arstechnica.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by nullify3112@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Editor’s note: … In this article, we discuss the technical challenges of building an orbital data center constellation: launching all of it, dissipating heat in space, dealing with radiation, and addressing latency issues in orbit. Read part one here.

I find the napkin math interesting, especially putting into light that given expected longevity of such satellites, 5 to 7 years, they will have to do 10 to 42 launches per day. SpaceX will need $1.5 to $10 trillions to make it happen. All of that so the slop machine doesn’t have to run into obstacles like democracy ? So it can destroy communities and the environment freely? What are we doing?

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[–] 0ndead@infosec.pub 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

This is a false front for laundering VC money. It’s not logistically feasible, and like AI, they will have made off with billions before they ever attempt to launch anything.

Typical “numba go up” scheme.

[–] nullify3112@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Though I am confident they are going to try really hard to make it work. They just want to time it so that VC doesn't hold the short end of the stick when the music stops (lol I love mixing analogies like that). I am worried of the impact of launching so many vehicles into space. They will launch a lot of vehicles, there is no denying that, even if it doesn't get to 1M satellite constellation. All the shit they send to LEO will have to fall back down eventually. It will burn up in the atmosphere. That's a lot of extra stuff in the atmosphere. That's also a lot of stuff up there that will interfere with astronomy. A lot of stuff that can lead to Kessler syndrome.

[–] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago

All those rare earth minerals and silicon will just burn up. What a waste. There needs to be legislation that if you put satellite in orbit you are responsible for recovering them at End of Life.

Burning up in the atmosphere is pollution that we don’t even understand how it affects the upper atmosphere.