Google, SpaceX explore plans for space-based data centers, says WSJ

Alphabet's Google is reportedly in discussions with Elon Musk’s SpaceX for a rocket launch deal as it explores placing orbital data centers in space, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the talks.

Google is also in discussions about a potential ​deal with other rocket-launch companies, the report said, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

SpaceX and Google ​did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comments.

A ⁠partnership with Google would mark the second time Musk made ​peace with an AI rival he has publicly criticized, ahead ​of a widely anticipated and crucial IPO for SpaceX.

Billionaire Musk helped launch OpenAI in 2015 as a counterweight to Google's AI ambitions, after falling out ​with its co-founder Larry Page over AI safety. Now, SpaceX ​and Google find themselves racing toward the same frontier, vying to bring AI ‌data ⁠centers to space.

Developing its space-based orbital data centers is one of the major drivers behind SpaceX's initial public offering plans, as the endeavor is expected to be highly capital intensive and technologically ​challenging.

Last week, Anthropic agreed ​to use ⁠the full computing power of SpaceX's Colossus 1 facility in Memphis and expressed interest in working ​with the rocket company to develop multiple gigawatts ​of space-based ⁠orbital data centers.

Google is pushing the space-based data center idea with Project Suncatcher, a research effort to network solar-powered satellites equipped with ⁠its ​Tensor Processing Units into an orbital ​AI cloud. The company plans an initial prototype launch with partner Planet Labs around ​2027.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli