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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[–] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 2 points 12 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.