The environmental cost of putting data centers in space

"“It's always sunny in space,” he wrote, arguing that orbital data centers are “obviously the only way to scale.”"

"“The social and environmental consequences are far greater than what we're currently looking at with Earth-based alternatives,” says Peter Howson, a researcher at Northumbria University who recently authored a paper examining the risks and challenges of space-based computing infrastructure."

"“Soot that comes out of the tailpipe in a car normally lasts maybe a few weeks in the lower atmosphere,” Howson says. “But when you put it into the upper atmosphere, it could stay there for years.” Water vapor emissions also act as a potent greenhouse gas."

"Around 2 million liters of water are also used to protect launch pads at every launch, and that process can wash toxic dust and debris into local ecosystems. In Texas, the state's Commission on Environmental Quality and the EPA previo"

Space-based data centers could operate continuously using solar power, but environmental and social tradeoffs extend beyond electricity consumption. Rocket launches produce large climate emissions, including methane combustion and black soot that can persist in the upper atmosphere for years and cause greater warming than similar pollution near the ground. Water vapor released during launches acts as a potent greenhouse gas. Launch operations also require substantial water to protect launch pads, and that water can wash toxic dust and debris into nearby ecosystems. Researchers argue that these factors make the climate impact assessment more complex than Earth-based alternatives.

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