SpaceX seeks federal approval to launch 1 million solar-powered satellite data centers

In Brief

SpaceX has filed a request with the Federal Communications Commission to motorboat a constellation of up to 1 cardinal solar-powered satellites that it said volition service arsenic information centers for artificial intelligence.

The company’s filing lays retired a grandiose vision, not conscionable describing these planned satellites arsenic “the astir businesslike mode to conscionable the accelerating request for AI computing power” but besides framing them arsenic “a archetypal measurement towards becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization — one that tin harness the Sun’s afloat power” portion also  “ensuring humanity’s multi-planetary aboriginal amongst the stars.”

The Verge argued that the 1 cardinal outer fig is improbable to beryllium approved outright and is astir apt meant arsenic a starting constituent for negotiations. The FCC precocious gave SpaceX support to motorboat an further 7,500 Starlink satellites, but said it would “defer authorization connected the remaining 14,988” projected satellites.

There are currently arond man-made 15,000 satellites orbiting the Earth, according to the European Space Agency, and they’re already creating issues with contamination and debris.

The filing besides comes arsenic Amazon — citing a deficiency of rockets — is seeking an hold connected an FCC deadline to person much than 1,600 satellites successful orbit. Meanwhile, SpaceX is reportedly considering a merger with 2 of Elon Musk’s different companies, Tesla and xAI (which already merged with X), up of going public.

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