SpaceX does not appear to align with CEO Elon Musk’s claim regarding outer space data centres. According to a report by the news agencies Reuters report, the Musk-owned rocket company has warned investors that its plans to build AI data centres in space are still in early stages and carry multiple risks.
These concerns were outlined in SpaceX’s pre-IPO filing, which highlighted several of its future initiatives, including orbital AI computing and interplanetary projects, that depend on technologies that are still unproven and may not become commercially viable.“Our initiatives to develop orbital AI compute and in-orbit, lunar, and interplanetary industrialisation are in early stages, involve significant technical complexity and unproven technologies, and may not achieve commercial viability,” SpaceX said in an excerpt from the S-1 filing seen by Reuters.The filing presents a more measured view of SpaceX’s long-term plans as it prepares for a public listing. As part of regulatory requirements, the company disclosed potential risks to inform investors about uncertainties tied to its business strategy.The company also noted that any space-based data centres would operate under challenging conditions. These systems would be exposed to environmental risks that could affect performance or cause failure.
“Any future AI orbital data centers will operate in the harsh and unpredictable environment of space, exposing them to a wide and unique range of space-related risks that could cause them to malfunction or fail,” the document seen by Reuters noted.SpaceX further pointed to the development of Starship, its next-generation reusable rocket, as a key factor in executing its plans. “Any failure or delay in the development of Starship at scale or in achieving the required launch cadence, reusability and capabilities thereof would delay or limit our ability to execute our growth strategy,” the filing said.
What Elon Musk has said about outer space data centres
Elon Musk has publicly expressed confidence in the idea of building AI infrastructure in space. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in January, he said that creating AI data centres in orbit was “a no-brainer” and could become the cheapest option within a few years.Following the announcement of a merger between SpaceX and his AI company xAI in February, Musk said “space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale”.Despite these statements, the company’s filing indicates that such projects are still at an early stage and face technical and operational challenges. SpaceX is reportedly targeting a public listing in the coming months, with a valuation of around $1.75 trillion and plans to raise $75 billion.
