That artificial intelligences consume more and more electricity, it is something not only obvious, also inevitable. But everything has a limit. Almost two months ago, former Executive Director of Google, Eric Schmidt, acquired the Relatity Space launch startup. The firm was initially famous by building rockets totally printed in 3D, although it has not yet reached orbit. But his goal was more complex than launching satellites into space: Schmidt confirmed on Twitter than acquired the startup to launch data centers in space.
“Recently, Ericschmidt told Congress that the participation of data centers will go from current to 99% of total energy consumption. The only way to meet that demand is with data fueled data centers in space, ”said the tweet.
This Probabry Helps Explain Why Schmidt Bought Relativity Space. https://t.co/e9c4vuf6li
– Eric Berger (@Sciguyspace) April 28, 2025
And is that the rapid rise of AI is causing An exponential and unsustainable increase in energy demand of data centers on Earth. Could the space be the answer?
At his hearing in front of the Energy and Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives, Schmidt explained that “10 gigaw data centers are being planned “and noted that a typical nuclear power plant in the United States generates 1 energy gigaw. “That gives an idea of the magnitude of this crisis.”
Since ChatgPT was massively popularized in 2023, scientists have warned about the enormous demand for power to train and use this technology. The arrival of other similar models, has only increased energy needs.
The International Energy Agency, for example, estimates that A chatgpt consultation consumes approximately 10 times more electricity than a google search. “One of the estimates that I consider most likely is that data centers will require 29 additional energy gigawatts by 2027 and 67 more gigawatts for 2030 -adds Schmidt -. These things are industrial to a scale that I have never seen in my life.”
Although Schmidt has confirmed that Relativity Space intends to launch data centers into space, practically all about how these plans are unknown. The company would probably place its data centers in a geostationary orbit. This type of orbit would keep them flying on a fixed location, where they could capture sunlight 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through solar panels.
However, since large amounts of energy would be required, independent space solar centrals could be launched together with the data centers. Space solar energy faces important obstacles. Yes ok You have the potential to transmit energy to Earth 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Infrastructure technologies of land stations are not yet prepared for it. To this we must add that, although Schmidt’s trajectory as former executive director of Google provides credibility, there are still important challenges.
For example, space data centers can be modular, allowing their transport to space through successive releases, however, would large areas of the sky blocked once built? You also have to Evaluate the transmission speed, the height at which they will be located and if the temperature changes that occur in the terrestrial orbit can affect them. The intention is good, but perhaps we have to wait for decades to come true.