Elon Musk’s SpaceX has asked permission to send 1 million satellites into space that would use sunlight to power computers for artificial intelligence, according to documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission.
AI computers need huge amounts of electricity to run.
“These satellites will capture sunlight all the time with low costs to operate and maintain. This makes them cheaper and more energy-efficient while being better for the environment than AI computer buildings on Earth,” the filing explained. Musk needs approval from the communications agency before moving ahead.
SpaceX probably won’t actually launch 1 million satellites. Right now, only about 15,000 satellites circle Earth. Companies often request permission to launch more satellites than they plan to use, giving them flexibility in their designs. SpaceX previously requested approval for 42,000 Starlink satellites, but currently operates around 9,500.
The plan relies heavily on making Starship, SpaceX’s new reusable rocket, cheap to operate.
“With fully reusable rockets like Starship that can carry millions of tons to space each year when launching regularly, we can build processing power in space faster and bigger than building on Earth, with much less harm to the environment,” SpaceX stated.
Starship has completed 11 test flights since 2023. Musk expects the rocket, which is important for expanding Starlink with better satellites, to carry its first real cargo to space this year.
