Technology · 1 February 2026
SpaceX plans to launch 1 million AI data satellites.
The company owned by Elon Musk requested regulatory approval from US officials for launching a million solar-energy satellites These spacecraft would function as orbital data centres designed to support the increasing computational demands of artificial intelligence. SpaceX argues this approach is more energy-efficient than terrestrial facilities, though experts have raised concerns regarding space debris and the potential impact on astronomical research. The proposed constellation represents a significant expansion beyond SpaceX's current Starlink network of approximately 9,500 satellites.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs