As data centres increasingly soak up attention, along with all available energy – renewables preferred, thanks – Elon Musk’s promise to place them in space has caught the imagination.
And not in a small way. His promise is backed by an initial public offering (IPO) to launch up to 1 million data centre satellites into orbit.
According to Reuters, the idea spurred a merger between SpaceX and Musk’s AI startup xAI, which updated the valuation of the company to $1 trillion.
Musk also offered an initial look at his plans for orbiting data centres through a presentation in March, which PC Mag said stood out for its exceptionally large solar arrays.
While the presentation didn’t specify a precise length, each one would be longer than its Starship V3 rocket, which is 124.4 metres long, dwarfing the International Space Station, which spans only 109 metres. And the version shown was only the “mini” version of what he had in mind, with future models potentially significantly larger.
Musk said the satellites will “capture plenty of solar energy” to power the high-density AI processing inside. The current mode promises 100 kilowatts of AI computing, whereas future models will offer a megawatt range of computing power.
According to a document from SpaceX, the satellites would orbit “between 500 and 2000 kilometres altitude, 30 degrees and [have] sun-synchronous orbit inclinations”.
It would take approximately 2200 solar panels for one full megawatt of power, which could power around 2000 households for an hour.
The startup xAI already had AI data centres reaching 1 gigawatt (1000 megawatts) of capacity on earth, which is why Musk was confident that launching satellites using the Starship’s rocket was feasible.
“NLike no new physics, or impossible things are required to get there,” Musk said.
Is it really feasible?
One disadvantage, amongst many raised on Wikipedia, includes the environmental impacts of the launches, as well as resources the deployment will consume. Recycling e-waste is already a challenge on Earth but would be extremely unlikely in space.
An interesting issue is that orbital space is a limited resource, and with the increased chance of creating unretrievable space debris and satellites in orbit, these data centres would reduce the ability to use the orbit for other purposes.
Experts have already noted that the orbiting data centres will need to constantly manoeuvre to avoid hitting space junk and other satellites. Across a 15-year licence term, the cumulative total for the constellation would be 4 billion manoeuvres.
B-Cycle progresses with new panel
The Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) has established a new advisory panel for its B-cycle scheme, the nation’s official battery recycling scheme.
The organisation said the panel was appointed to provide strategic insight, sector intelligence and practical advice to strengthen the scheme’s performance as it moves towards establishing a more rigorous national stewardship framework. Since launching in 2022, the scheme has recovered 12,139 tonnes of batteries and $70,258,924 in levies.
Chief executive Libby Chaplin said the organisation was committed to helping the scheme reach maturity and provide strong governance and regulatory readiness – and it had to evolve as policy settings evolve and market complexity increases. Chair, Bronwyn Voyce said battery recovery wasn’t just an environmental challenge but also reduces hazardous waste to landfill and mitigates fire risk, recovers value from critical materials and provides a more resilient and competitive economy.
Appointments to the new panel include leaders from across the battery value chain, and the members have held their inaugural meeting in late April. These include
- Jason Hill, Australian Battery Industry Association (ABIA)/Century Yuasa
- Michael Dudley, ReSource
- Conor Macgill, Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA)
- James Rayner, Makita Australia
- Ryan Hammond, Sealed Performance Batteries (SPB)
- Shaun Tang, SPC eCycle
- Steven Marshall, Livium Corp
- Brett Lemin, Waste Contractors and Recyclers Association (WCRA) NSW
- Barish Ozdemir, Power Shield
- Emilia Peters, Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR)
- Morgan Parker, Sell & Parker
- Pamela Mikschofsky, ALDI
- Evelyn Soud, Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA)
- Matt Fulford, Battery World franchisee
- Councillor Lenore Wyatt, Mareeba Shire Council
- Luke Stephens, Fire Rescue Victoria (observer)
Jobs
Smart Energy Council has appointed David McElrea as its new chief executive, with current CEO John Grimes to finish in his 18-year role on 15 May.
Grimes will then take on a new role as the CEO of the Renewable Energy Council Asia Pacific (RECAP), an independent organisation that was created by and is still a strategic partner of the Smart Energy Council.
McElrea is currently the council’s chief advocacy officer. Prior to that, he had been deputy chief of staff to former Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek and had been a senior policy advisor to the Australian Institute of Company Directors.