SpaceX asks FCC to clear path for up to 1 million data-center satellites

SpaceX has asked the US Federal Communications Commission for permission to launch and operate a massive new constellation of satellites designed to run data-center workloads, including AI processing, in orbit. In its filing, the company outlines plans for up to 1 million satellites, far beyond its existing Starlink broadband network, and frames the project as a way to host and process data in space rather than on the ground.

The proposal raises technical and regulatory questions, from spectrum use and interference to orbital congestion and debris management. The FCC review will determine what, if any, part of SpaceX's vision for orbital data centers moves ahead, and under what conditions. For now, it is a request on paper, not an approved system.