News

SpaceNews.com • Tim Fernholz

Orbital data centers: economics take center stage

Momentum behind orbital data centers has shifted the debate from technical possibility to commercial economics. Attention is now on capital intensity, launch and operations costs, pricing and revenue models that will determine which on‑orbit compute concepts can scale into sustainable businesses.

2026-02-01T09:12:36.230871-08:00

Reuters

SpaceX blocks Starlink access after Russian attack drones use terminals; Ukraine to verify and cut unauthorized units

2026-02-01T01:09:17.484955-08:00

SpaceNews.com

SpaceX seeks FCC approval for 1‑million solar‑powered orbital data‑center constellation to run AI workloads

2026-01-31T05:30:03.260205-08:00

SpaceNews.com

China launches AlSat‑3B remote‑sensing satellite for Algeria from Jiuquan

2026-01-31T02:18:59.333418-08:00

News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

Orbital data centers: economics take center stage Momentum behind orbital data centers has shifted the debate from technical possibility to commercial economics. Attention is now on capital intensity, launch and operations costs, pricing and revenue models that will determine which on‑orbit compute concepts can scale into sustainable businesses.

2026-02-01T09:12:36.230871-08:00

Orbital data centers: economics take center stage

Reuters

❗️

SpaceX blocks Starlink access after Russian attack drones use terminals; Ukraine to verify and cut unauthorized units SpaceX moved to disable and restrict Starlink terminals in Ukraine in recent weeks after authorities detected Russian attack drones using Starlink connectivity to strike military targets. Elon Musk said the measures worked; Ukraine will introduce terminal verification and disconnect unauthorized units.

2026-02-01T01:09:17.484955-08:00

SpaceX blocks Starlink access after Russian attack drones use terminals; Ukraine to verify and cut unauthorized units

SpaceNews.com

❗️

SpaceX seeks FCC approval for 1‑million solar‑powered orbital data‑center constellation to run AI workloads SpaceX filed with the FCC on Jan. 30, 2026 seeking approval for an up to one‑million‑satellite constellation of solar‑powered, optical‑linked spacecraft designed as distributed orbital data centers to process AI workloads — a move SpaceX says is lower‑cost and less environmentally harmful than terrestrial data centers.

2026-01-31T05:30:03.260205-08:00

SpaceX seeks FCC approval for 1‑million solar‑powered orbital data‑center constellation to run AI workloads

Space.com

ESA seeks to map spacecraft breakup and burn‑up to enable reliable design‑for‑demise The European Space Agency is launching studies to characterise how different spacecraft materials and structures fragment, ablate and vaporise during fiery uncontrolled re‑entries. Improved data on burn‑up behaviour would let engineers design satellites that reliably disintegrate, minimising surviving debris and atmospheric particulate deposition.

2026-01-31T03:08:44.178137-08:00

ESA seeks to map spacecraft breakup and burn‑up to enable reliable design‑for‑demise

SpaceNews.com

China launches AlSat‑3B remote‑sensing satellite for Algeria from Jiuquan China launched AlSat‑3B, an Algerian remote‑sensing satellite, from Jiuquan on Jan. 31 aboard a Long March‑2C. Beijing said additional missions have been postponed as authorities prepare for a key human‑spaceflight test; President Xi and Algerian President Tebboune exchanged congratulations after liftoff.

2026-01-31T02:18:59.333418-08:00

China launches AlSat‑3B remote‑sensing satellite for Algeria from Jiuquan

CNBC

Amazon seeks two‑year FCC extension to meet 1,600+ Amazon Leo satellite deadline, cites launch shortage Amazon asked the FCC for a two‑year extension to a mid‑2026 deadline that requires more than 1,600 LEO broadband satellites in orbit, saying it has been unable to secure enough rocket rides. The extra time is aimed at completing deployments and starting service for its rebranded Amazon Leo network.

2026-01-30T17:34:49.558469-08:00

Amazon seeks two‑year FCC extension to meet 1,600+ Amazon Leo satellite deadline, cites launch shortage

Reuters

SpaceX updates Starlink privacy policy to allow customer data for AI training SpaceX revised Starlink’s privacy policy to permit using customer data to train artificial‑intelligence models, a shift the company says will support product development. The change could bolster Elon Musk’s AI ambitions and is likely to prompt privacy and regulatory scrutiny.

2026-01-30T15:24:57.483321-08:00

SpaceX updates Starlink privacy policy to allow customer data for AI training

Reuters

❗️

SpaceX reports roughly $8B profit on $15–16B revenue as IPO talk, Tesla merger rumours and secondary-market activity intensify Sources say SpaceX generated about $8 billion in profit on $15–16 billion of revenue last year, reinforcing the company’s public-market case ahead of a potential IPO. Reported merger discussions with Tesla and surging secondary-market transactions have amplified investor scrutiny and valuation debate.

2026-01-30T14:09:42.776060-08:00

SpaceX reports roughly $8B profit on $15–16B revenue as IPO talk, Tesla merger rumours and secondary-market activity intensify

Menu

Satellite News

Orbital data centers: economics take center stage

SpaceX blocks Starlink access after Russian attack drones use terminals; Ukraine to verify and cut unauthorized units

SpaceX seeks FCC approval for 1‑million solar‑powered orbital data‑center constellation to run AI workloads

China launches AlSat‑3B remote‑sensing satellite for Algeria from Jiuquan

News Timeline