Astronomers fear orbital data centers will interfere with observations
spacenews.com Jun 13, 2026

Astronomers fear orbital data centers will interfere with observations

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Astronomers are warning that SpaceX's planned orbital data center satellites could interfere with their observations, citing concerns over the satellites' brightness and radio transmissions. SpaceX plans to launch its first data center satellites in 2027, with the AI1 satellite expected to be 70 meters long and 20 meters tall, generating up to 150 kilowatts of peak power. The company argues that the AI1 satellite will be easier to produce than its Starlink satellites, but astronomers are concerned that the large number and size of the satellites will exacerbate existing problems.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · Astronomers are fighting a losing battle to mitigate the effects of existing satellite constellations, and the addition of orbital data centers will only make the problem worse.
  • · The sheer number of satellites will create "bright lanes" that ground-based astronomers cannot avoid, threatening to disrupt observations and compromise the integrity of scientific research.