Elon Musk said SpaceX’s planned AI satellites will largely rely on existing Starlink technology as the company advances its orbital computing plans ahead of its IPO.
SpaceX plans to develop AI-powered satellites using technologies already deployed in its Starlink network, according to comments from CEO Elon Musk ahead of the company’s upcoming IPO.
Reuters reported that Musk said the proposed orbital AI data centres would not require a major engineering step, as much of the necessary technology already exists in SpaceX‘s next-generation Starlink V3 satellites.
The satellites are expected to begin operations as computing nodes in orbit, powered by solar energy and cooled by radiating heat into space. According to Reuters, the first proposed AI satellite would deliver about 150 kilowatts of peak power and 120 kilowatts of sustained compute power, roughly comparable to a single Nvidia GB300 AI server rack.
SpaceX said the satellites would use existing Starlink V3 technologies, including solar arrays and thermal-management systems. The company mentioned that the spacecraft would be simpler than conventional Starlink satellites as they would not require the large phased-array antennas used for broadband communications.
Musk said SpaceX expects its AI satellite factory in Bastrop, Texas, to reach required production volumes by the end of 2027. The move forms part of the company’s larger effort to expand into AI infrastructure alongside its launch and satellite communications businesses.
The development highlights the growing importance of advanced computing, power management and thermal-control technologies in future space and electronics systems.
