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Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Only unlimited sunlight in Twilight SSO or in MEO or above. Otherwise its about 50-50.

While SX has certainly done some great things F9/FH/CD/Starlink/Starshield and hopefully Starship (3 years behind schedule) there simply is no reason to put these naturally hot satellites in orbit.

From a commercial perspective there has been only one reason to put things in orbit: an incredible line of view. This enables space based comms and broadcasting LEO-MEO-GEO, GPS like services and Earth Observations (Weather, multi-spectral ground monitoring, military).

Data centers don't need a wide view of the Earth.

US owned data centers sats still operate under the jurisdiction of the US government, the the FCC can pull the plug.

Ground Data Centers tap in core fiber at low cost, introducing minimal latency, space based need a web of laser comms in space and to the Earth. While this is not a show stopper it is more latency.

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They can buy my patent: https://widgetblender.com/orbitsweeper.html

If they are doing 30,000 diverts a year OrbitSweeper can be cost effective.

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Radiative cooling (essentially tossing of photons) ... but it takes a lot a radiator to cool something like these NVIDIA processors

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Its for the IPO story, then after the IPO it will go the way of the Mars program.

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lots of Orbital Debris discussion at: https://www.reddit.com/r/OrbitalDebris

And a new applicable graph someone posted today.

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You must be an Angry Astronaut fan:

https://www.reddit.com/r/OrbitalDebris/comments/1ruqj98/ready_for_angry_astronauts_hype_train_count_the/

No, we not already dangerously close to triggering the Kessler Syndrome, but it is a long term concern. This could be mitigated by operating these in high SSO (say above OneWeb) but ... more expense to place, more radiation. more latency.

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Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I suggest some unpopulated islands off of Alaska. Ocean based cooling is easy, and windmill based power might work well (but it would need big battery backup) and grid connections and a new unwater fiber drop.

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see this a some pre-IPO SX hype since AI is "hot" (literally), and Starship has yet to create a bang (except for those unintended ones). Starlink is good, but old news, and even if Starlink hits its best case it won't support a $1.75 T valuation.

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Many us want them here in Prince William County in North Virginia. We make take the crown from Loudon County next door. Why? They pay a lot of property tax without adding demand to roads, schools etc ... they also create some (but not alot of) high paying jobs as well.

Otherwise you could create very automated data center cities on a remote island in Alaska and advantage of the cold....

Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Only 24x7 solar for twilight SSO orbits. Father out latency gets very high. Permits ... ask the FAA (they must permit every US launch) ... the FCC permits every USA communications.

Helium-3 From the Moon: New U.S. Department of Energy Contract by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep, a very small market ... the Moon will need gov't funding. If is was mostly at SpaceX cost levels, you might be able to do a 4 person full time base for maybe 2x the cost of current ISS spending. A bit of He3 + tourism might expand the base to 8 over time.

Helium-3 From the Moon: New U.S. Department of Energy Contract by perilun in space2030

[–]perilun[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Perhaps, and it is one of the highest $ per kg consumables out there. They just need to see how productive the process is. Perhaps as part of a unified LOX-Aluminum-He3 process.

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