Tether-Based Architecture for Solar-Powered Orbital AI Data Centers
Executive Summary
This research paper proposes a tether-based structural architecture for solar-powered orbital AI data centers operating in Dawn-Dusk Sun-Synchronous (DDSS) orbits. These centers aim to provide multi-megawatt computing for AI inference with minimal latency to Earth, using a tethered chain of computing nodes with photovoltaic panels for continuous sunlight capture and radiative cooling for heat management. The design emphasizes passive attitude control, distributed redundancy against micrometeoroid impacts, and significant CO2 footprint reduction compared to terrestrial data centers.
Key Impact Metrics
Leveraging orbital advantages for sustainable, high-performance AI.
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Projected AI Energy Consumption Increase by 2026
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Continuous Sunlight in DDSS Orbit
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Typical Terrestrial Data Center CO2 Emissions (5-year)
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Proposed Orbital Data Center CO2 Emissions (5-year)
Deep Analysis & Enterprise Applications
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Architecture & Design
Thermal & Radiation Management
Sustainability & Economics
2-20 MW
Computing Power per Orbital Data Center
The proposed tethered architecture aims to achieve uninterrupted computing power ranging from 2 MW to 20 MW, powered entirely by solar energy in DDSS orbits.
Node Interconnection & Data Flow
Solar Panels & Radiators
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CPU/GPU Boards (Shielded)
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Tethers for Structure & Comms
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Engine for Deorbiting
10 Gray/year
Estimated Ionizing Radiation Dose
With a ~20mm thick water+aluminum shield, the estimated ionizing radiation dose is ~10 Gray/year, well within tolerances for commercial GPUs over a 5-year mission.
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| Attitude Control |
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| MMOD Resilience |
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| Deployment |
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| Thermal Management |
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10x
CO2 Emissions Reduction vs. Terrestrial
Over a 5-year operational period, orbital data centers are projected to produce an order of magnitude less direct CO2 emissions than their earthbound counterparts.
Starlink's Role in Orbital Communications
Existing constellations like SpaceX's Starlink provide robust communication infrastructure. Current Starlink satellites offer ~20 Gb/s downlink and ~100 Gb/s inter-satellite laser link capacity, with a total backbone bandwidth on the order of 100 Tb/s. This is well above the expected requirements of an orbital data center for AI inference, ensuring minimal latency to Earth.
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