SpaceX has filed an unprecedented request with the US Federal Communications Commission to launch one million satellites designed as orbital data centres to power artificial intelligence. The proposal, outlined by CEO Elon Musk, aims to harness uninterrupted sunlight in space amid rising AI energy demands. Experts question the seriousness of the ambitious plan, citing potential orbital hazards and impacts on astronomy.
In a filing dated 30 January 2026, SpaceX requested permission from the FCC to deploy one million satellites operating as data centres in orbit. This dwarfs the company's earlier 2019 application for 42,000 Starlink satellites, which now number about 9,500 out of 14,500 active satellites worldwide. Victoria Samson of the Secure World Foundation described it as "beyond what’s been proposed by any constellation."
Elon Musk, in an accompanying update, framed the initiative as a step toward a Kardashev II-level civilization, referencing the scale proposed by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev in 1964. The satellites would provide power for AI by capturing constant sunlight, addressing the surge in energy needs. Recent precedents include Starcloud's November 2025 launch of a demonstration data centre with an Nvidia chip and a European Commission study deeming such systems feasible.
Deployment would rely on SpaceX's Starship rocket, capable of 200 tons per flight and potentially launching hourly to deliver millions of tons annually. The satellites would orbit between 500 and 2,000 kilometres in slightly polar paths, communicating via optical links to minimize radio interference. SpaceX seeks a waiver from the FCC's typical six-year deadline to deploy half the constellation, proposing end-of-life disposal into high Earth orbits or solar orbits for safety.
The filing follows SpaceX's 2 February 2026 announcement of acquiring xAI, which includes the Grok chatbot. Ruth Pritchard-Kelly, a satellite regulation expert, noted, "If AI is what they want the orbital data centres for, then it’s a bit of a bundled package."
Similar ambitions exist elsewhere: China applied to the International Telecommunications Union on 29 December 2025 for 200,000 satellites. While no strict limit exists, managing over 100,000 could prove challenging. Starlink already dodged 300,000 collisions in 2025, highlighting orbital risks.
Astronomers warn of severe consequences. Alejandro Borlaff of NASA Ames Research Center stated that adding 500,000 satellites would mean "nearly every single telescope image obtained from the ground or space will be contaminated by satellites." Proposed data centres might shine brighter due to large solar panels and radiators.
Pritchard-Kelly suggested the one-million figure might be hyperbolic: "It’s gobsmackingly large... It could just be for shock and awe." The FCC process will take months, including public comments and a separate ITU filing; SpaceX and the FCC declined comment.
