GoKawiilBlue Origin, the space conglomerate founded by Amazon chair Jeff Bezos, has asked the U.S. government for permission to launch a network of more than 50,000 satellites that will act as a data center in orbit.
In a March 19 document filed with the Federal Communications Commission, Blue Origin’s attorneys described “Project Sunrise” as a network of spacecraft that will perform advanced computation in orbit to “ease mounting pressure on U.S. communities and natural resources by shifting energy – and water-intensive compute away from terrestrial data centers.”
Blue Origin’s filing did not describe its plans for the satellites in detail, so it’s hard to know how much computing power the company is aiming to generate in space. It does note that Blue Origin plans to use another satellite constellation it is seeking to build, called Terawave, as a high-throughput communications backbone for the data satellites.
Shifting massive compute to space is attractive because solar energy is free to harvest and, once in orbit, there are fewer regulations restricting corporate activities. Entrepreneurs behind these projects envision a future where AI tools are widespread and imagine that much of the inference work behind them will be outsourced to orbit.
Several companies are already pursuing the idea. SpaceX has filed for permission to launch a million satellites to be used as a distributed data center, while the startup Starcloud has proposed a network of 60,000 spacecraft to the FCC. Google is also developing a concept for a space data center called Project Suncatcher, which will see its partner Planet Labs launch two demo spacecraft next year.
While excitement about space data centers is high in the tech world, the economics of these projects remain challenging. Technology for cooling processors and communicating between spacecraft with powerful lasers will need to be developed and manufactured as cheaply as possible, while scientists are still determining how well advanced chips work on different tasks while exposed to the high radiation environment in space.
A critical area is the cost to launch these computers into orbit, and most are betting that the price of reaching orbit will fall due to SpaceX’s Starship rocket, which is still under development and may see its first 2026 launch next month.
Techcrunch event Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400. Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately
Offer ends March 13. San Francisco, CA | REGISTER NOW
... continue reading