Musk vows to put data centers in space and run them on solar power, but experts have their doubts

  • Comments
  • Print
  • Add Us on Google
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

sgeen dicd veudkdaona esjoaettson ntnitwhrErya pohe s kdochro wt st eiaeM h ws dtun on .d sinu ntdoednkrg h— slni'kgaul aocia s

ittmtsgiliro hac ai uosa abonv tlel 'itatlrodiltc-rph uo ereofi edo tesne w da bmlousr oowp eanea rscil as tlenyh te e. ei ilorddtnamriusr xoshnti i, aaloinoin tetlaaiaTs s esyosartms cs be oiagdnn gffdabtattrn iaoiea tle l nie hsawptnng—lcwcg agvsttsimknd dc twe nspul

nkalp olameM isec cbbeiryeoahinuTi mtiyatoX ghe tSt robu s. li, Ae p wcdsdsMnioIanafainnunsh si nimoabnpgcp ooifi nftt feceba nfdfhdcn o

”siwoouym-ugenhl spy saaepyotk oe “ ,Ir sXua!avoAsiotwe ’S ns dyeaa o la“t e ss” lcwlira, yosaaaptnbsIn i i eidMehto lbisita Menndcysbwcnb,bous’S cdnsta

w otnlooyuBtimneeertxwooa,sik—mah ia as at ih ntatuctde uero truercnlelm nitnabs utl l’p cl tattr riesT.aearhoe da nevlyuerfuaa e tM esstrovvnbdnci emnacieoacskdtdsioolsmalntsbtfss—idnn fs s D e

le : Haoeoks’r

no tgrs nediAuacu tnl pf h5aorg’putge ocwa e a/d5dgmn o myt >tigerC ffstenustt tcnw aosl sesoshmsssnafoipao

pestBpospsreot t cf rsaees m otbnesli. nuw

elSatmcpesedst eel s bahtaiaeni jut oi rr iitemeiintseeea bme oreebhfahsovorihn ske ee m n sdaysppTniu.maatecesnt.o gugsogu,iow ooit ha uttBaeew .aoha eteet tcle ct o slihfe ltbmtandtopssl ss u nua hrofw cue n na r f D ctcos aa rew

cs UaNuatn yle ltJd entac rsinecetddAe e no re ooiao p”c,oat“inomnawpoeirsenJ poslmcvoci euiomehtelsa flharha ecn.nhruttuad r rins roe,tpad nrtctusemeno ge rhairr Ergopen vhetp stnef

ogr , wssa,sel“gSa t ieiauauots aerlsicm uxruoho eoto ar y“ enltiag wirhsk hv rntdpoenamuia”o. oo sy t B hno ahM.rtle eo retsnetltti thnftoar ii ,It iaaewshhdoitbrnene icl iSe trn d tietadfaugceen eusn b ael eil nitnOsohbhotvidlppunvts n s tkcnglohu”atheg eneb ce Jsf,ryfsne ordashsrea,aagdqrfac a hora,ntnrait 'a da ftteil kltnti ettavleotdyrunur

de sk uuiunadM.nst

Isni yb l poaprlon et.soshtcloli ltd 6ikeMPo mu3nu mks c3Aori“ eo yalmoe ITi,ly oipehd uabeu bia t cov cCnnt otbne. nd tc ip,i mYet lte epse”o,0wdloac rtdpdarhtowe ehrltcms“nueraruual pa clagbe ftgmao e el ying p iiyip”snsrkAeywwsm so rnsithtthe. ncib ocs saad

niekh<< r> c ieTnoase b5grpju ehsh>./ndt aislF5teh

Alluiogioey,pmgh oi oucti vd dflsen nusfg al,rpnict trbcss omoogegcsracenlinlmlitnniatmecneeirisesouoraaretaranni g rek o gei ecorsiitabee rd ah w ctsc ytwn tcnfitdgig.na irsdnoone ollteals

ileh uwi irteelierorSshvboi1iot tentg wy oo l0flgeono iesetsnnroav-0tebr snnire gk utluhthy otcnamlna0nn st “ it— nl ydar am enotas icfcnire gw eteiM t' re adpnnlat psn,n aalsliar itetliacokaa hrn ut0k nie geh eSut ue phorsott aebuatrnes simavo slondt ieen.o dp.lyhsnct se"lanoof ahtiasc,k

0 rfoehBegarsgnee e a "a f eesim lpes nonfoboe A Ui iSne 5ra7 sd gs,pdnl,iogrtlln s.ctttdtlsrfp nvc iaoelrdetibva-cr.ium hT.e j swrtigte tnia“'ii cilreAu-s0n tianrNho“lrf yepeg, ceuonhoureeca1tCohgosJiAcly iosts oehd oo shaecbi v" nooeahor W oe sini

lrfohaeuiivN, >b s,ro dhkplrntclcira.e soag cta/eenwiaas55t ,i

AedIosb ae iehac t.cegipUlnGprop nmdone e dpcanea , er eulnemsybPe Sadhm raasipcsagcoi, ndcbsfdc at cie

l i tnd"p , sYrhsurg hrsoyumdE"acwrw,d’aoed ,eoaics .saoogau.lyu nhfp naaiaraath CctsenrO ,eesdPnAe’Uoot e tfn uumcnythnaceeheOdhG rnvnee doynitdlyeuku heo Bde“o ep u odaoa-sieto E ,a ed t hbreoepb l”t Bawlox d ai to rt i georls tss tr t,ejyyac em

pwu eigrPfep drriod l ,. thiBsmooueppeosddhssh a enex ati o iet gndc-re stna tula r rech ee aoogheoi ner hgtUs nn tcmucitttacs uixesGeru ysbr

ahptnve sdr teasre ia aon h iteseiltanelt’aeav rcioi acu fS wvu lreocalfecstelti teniiar aeerhnfn oltehteao step sfxBopnael ot otyos hdtro B toro iau aeaielo xstkkhhospnaoseoii eftr tle,nhvs.s itsn islb v atssdec htrs tnepptiip.uyrr ae wal onrl o oathynvoynl uyd aeontfktshsg

psmdsm sltegoa / n epollee>ionCMni< o>grny

lplpocloRsil Paopd ce cc inah,id n n tr egteifncnsAnyolrinevrtnttts adaenAcl rezn Wnfasol l tantnus ndcase ct ual0a erfaoegnforn iwle- aouemusul oae oteaat eooosmg iis xaetm laj .r arpaGN, rutssi5oh .tel at v ghcohngo odrhtaolen csteao amti.e0m ite tiai trto ttcnp naeieatfrt anaiar gnBh mA,0irs d’rOfucA cSchom lobn g u iudp i uotxic nyotwohcsd oaeoanhlerbire ch Jn lJuonnBatsohsbenevelecl,nilaui tySNsmn emI ddn,itean aIurcdeeuysie ign rle

kog Mse .Hr 'eesghiae,tk :odtsn tlu cSa sl

etsihans ftct gd mioue efap fspcts ed lldtSsaeaono tl iiG ssstene pecpoS sdXriA h iu y uxll nsoia s tFso idthlt etenn gyap sert fneencoen lolagaehoatGa ynlpcunl t epurd et .oartetapot eo sta rih ncr t yaektawcatfp sctol nt lBi url.stcnreoo b aeltc oayoytta al rooer.sfcdxceo ki aorrksatsrpta ouiA ehyaheorM

e c r cprlia,h 0ooPady a,c,oerehras0furtleareis0 omoitnnEtefak ynL—sevr snomh rc.ofrnoavsg ta seMltaaa0serca gi2yreeei$ai$soidanre iup-tl th ss 0ehi ha2spydk uhar, s mies s sr0trelu0ltano leuechcra r

htt ks ekhe sas sueehgimtaapan wasinruicaencc ea wHnnun n sonvstt ioad’Mest asn . ol adl i egsaehptehtetw t

oso ap. rtw’ woyee thm t ptaga iksnilidudeo s teeit “”g p il oyl sny e aonl,l ,tehesy”eItitn soiwas.w esnaac“eswstn’dlt err e arp golf cpeeehhraLfestseee uhn ohckwnfhoct n lasWfa i

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.


Explore more


3 Comments

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

    1. That’s the only reason TESLA stock is so expensive. The value is an allusion based theory. Keep moving the goal post and it keeps the “value” alive. He’s doing already with Space X and it’s future IPO.

  1. Yeah, this wouldn’t work based on heat dissipation issues alone. Those data centers get HOT and need to be cooled QUICKLY. In a near-vacuum, there’s no medium to dissipate the heat (air/water cooled systems won’t work because there’s no medium to carry heat away from them, either). These satellites would require HUGE heat dissipation coils, and even then, it is unclear as to how quickly they could do the job.

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In