- Starcloud and Crusoe want to move data centers off Earth
- Nvidia’s H100 GPUs will operate beyond Earth’s atmosphere for the first time
- Orbital data centers could achieve gigawatt capacity using unfiltered solar radiation
Plans to take Nvidia’s H100 GPUs into orbit are moving from speculation to reality, led by Starcloud and Crusoe.
The two companies are collaborating to build the world’s first data centers in space, aiming to exploit solar energy beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Starcloud, a Redmond-based Nvidia Inception-backed firm, is developing scalable orbital computing platforms capable of reaching gigawatt capacities.
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Turning sunlight into compute cycles
Crusoe, known for its cloud computing services, will deploy its Crusoe Cloud platform on one of Starcloud’s satellites scheduled for launch in 2026.
By early 2027, the company expects to offer limited GPU-based computing power from orbit, describing this as “a new paradigm for AI factories.”
The central idea behind these space-based data centers lies in their use of direct solar energy.
Without the filtering effects of the Earth’s atmosphere, solar panels in orbit can harness sunlight at full intensity.
The companies claim this will allow for, “almost unlimited, low-cost renewable energy” to power AI workloads in space.
Estimates suggest that such infrastructure could cut energy expenses by up to ten times compared to terrestrial facilities, even when accounting for launch costs.
Starcloud will launch the first Nvidia H100 GPUs into space in November 2025, a move that could redefine how large-scale computation is handled.
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Crusoe plans to run AI models and LLMs directly on these GPUs through its cloud platform.
Space-based systems could, in theory, offer faster access to solar energy and more predictable thermal conditions.
Nvidia has suggested that the vacuum of deep space could serve as “an infinite heat sink,” allowing for unconventional cooling techniques that differ from those used on Earth.
However, the long-term feasibility of such an approach remains uncertain, especially given the absence of traditional convection in zero gravity.
The ambition behind these orbital data centers is clear, but questions persist about their practical and economic viability.
Space launches, hardware maintenance, and radiation exposure all introduce risks that could offset the energy savings.
The idea of off-planet data infrastructure might sound futuristic, although its execution will depend on overcoming complex engineering and operational challenges.
Via Tom’s Hardware
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