Orbital Data Center
An orbital data center is a space-based cluster of compute and storage designed to process, store, and route data in orbit. As AI workloads dominate data center economics, orbital data centers are evolving into Orbital AI Factories — infrastructure that converts raw space data into decisions in real time.
For the modern definition, see Orbital AI Factory.
What is an Orbital Data Center?
Simple Definition
An orbital data center is a free-flying or station-attached cluster of compute nodes, storage systems, and networking infrastructure that operates in Earth orbit. Unlike terrestrial data centers, orbital data centers leverage the unique advantages of space: proximity to sensors, abundant solar power, radiative cooling, and global coverage.
What Makes It Different from Terrestrial Data Centers
- No land, real estate, or cooling towers required
- Direct access to space-based sensors and telescopes without downlink bottlenecks
- Unlimited solar power generation (no grid dependency)
- Radiative cooling to deep space (no water or air cooling needed)
- Global coverage and low-latency access from any point on Earth
Why Orbit is Attractive
Proximity to Sensors
Process Earth observation, RF, and SAR data at the source, eliminating massive downlink bandwidth requirements.
Bandwidth Reduction
Pre-process and compress data in orbit, sending only insights and decisions to Earth instead of raw sensor streams.
Resiliency
Distributed infrastructure that survives natural disasters, geopolitical disruptions, and terrestrial infrastructure failures.
Solar + Radiative Cooling
Unlimited power generation and efficient heat rejection to deep space enable high-power compute without terrestrial constraints.
Use Cases (Non-AI and AI)
Earth Observation Preprocessing
Process multispectral, hyperspectral, and SAR imagery in orbit, generating analysis-ready products before downlink.
RF/SAR Analytics
Real-time signal processing, spectrum analysis, and RF intelligence at the edge of space.
Space-Domain Awareness
Track, catalog, and analyze space objects in real time using on-orbit compute and sensor fusion.
Station Services
Provide compute, storage, and networking services to space stations, lunar bases, and in-space manufacturing facilities.
In-Space Manufacturing Process Data
Real-time monitoring, quality control, and process optimization for additive manufacturing and materials processing in space.
AI Inference at the Edge of Space
Run large language models, computer vision models, and specialized AI workloads next to sensors, enabling real-time decision-making without Earth round-trip latency.
Architecture at a Glance
Orbital data centers are built from modular compute and storage nodes that can be assembled, upgraded, and serviced in orbit. Each node typically includes:
- Modular compute/storage pods with standardized interfaces for AI workloads, data processing, and storage
- Optical backhaul links to Earth and free-space optical links between nodes for high-throughput networking
- Power + thermal spine: solar arrays for power generation and deployable radiators for heat rejection
- Orbital logistics: grapple fixtures, docking ports, and standardized interfaces for robotic servicing and upgrades
- Robotic servicing: nodes designed to be maintained, upgraded, and expanded by space tugs and robotic arms without human EVA
Multiple nodes can be linked together via high-capacity optical links to form a distributed cluster, scaling from single-node missions to multi-megawatt orbital compute platforms.
Why the Term is Evolving into "AI Factory"
Orbital data center is the widely used term for compute and storage in space. But as AI becomes the primary workload, these systems increasingly function as Orbital AI Factories — turning raw orbital data into real-time decisions.
The Key Distinction
"The term 'data center' describes the physical form. 'AI factory' describes the economic function."
Traditional data centers store and route data. Orbital AI Factories process data at the source, run AI inference in real time, and generate actionable insights before data ever reaches Earth. This shift from storage-centric to compute-centric architecture reflects the economic reality: AI workloads now drive the majority of data center investment and power consumption.
The modern evolution of the orbital data center is the Orbital AI Factory.
How Orbital Fits
We have already flown the core infrastructure layers that make orbital data centers possible:
- LiSS (Lunar Infrastructure Support System): Proven orbital compute and storage hardware
- ISS node integration: Experience deploying compute infrastructure on space stations
- Lunar server deployments: Edge compute infrastructure for deep space missions
- Strategic partnerships: Working with leading space agencies and commercial space companies
In other words: We build orbital data centers — and define the next category: Orbital AI Factories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are orbital data centers crewed?
No. Orbital data centers are designed to operate autonomously with robotic servicing. They can be attached to crewed stations, but the compute infrastructure itself runs without human operators.
How do they cool?
Orbital data centers use deployable radiators that reject heat directly to deep space via radiation. This is far more efficient than terrestrial cooling systems and enables much higher power densities.
What's the difference between an orbital data center and an edge satellite?
Edge satellites typically have limited compute for basic processing. Orbital data centers are dedicated compute platforms with multi-megawatt power budgets, petabyte-scale storage, and high-throughput networking designed for intensive AI and data processing workloads.
When will they scale?
Early orbital data center deployments are already in development. As launch costs continue to decrease and AI workloads demand edge compute, we expect to see significant scaling in the 2030s.
Is this LEO only?
While initial deployments focus on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for proximity to Earth and lower launch costs, orbital data centers can operate in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geostationary Orbit (GEO), and even cislunar space depending on mission requirements.
Learn More About Orbital AI Factories
The modern evolution of the orbital data center is the Orbital AI Factory — infrastructure that converts raw space data into real-time decisions.
Explore Orbital AI Factory →