Starcloud is planning to send Amazon Web Services (AWS) hardware into space. This move follows a growing trend of tech companies exploring satellite-based data centers. The company’s upcoming launch aims to put AWS Outposts in orbit, marking a new chapter in cloud computing innovation.

Starcloud’s Upcoming Satellite Launch

According to Starcloud CEO Philip Johnston, the company will be the first to send AWS Outpost hardware into space. The launch is scheduled for October and will use their second satellite. In their first satellite, Starcloud-1, they already tested space-based computing by installing an Nvidia H100 GPU last October.

Starcloud’s efforts come amid other space computing projects. Chinese firm Guoxing Aerospace launched a computing network into orbit a year before. Meanwhile, companies like Starlink and Google have shown interest in deploying large-scale space-based data centers. These moves point to a future where data centers might operate beyond Earth’s surface.

Challenges and Skepticism from Industry Leaders

Not everyone is convinced about the practicality of space-based data centers. AWS’s own CEO, Matt Garman, expressed doubts about the idea. He pointed out that launching a huge number of satellites is still far off. The current cost of sending payloads into space remains extremely high, making mass deployment difficult.

Experts also highlight several hurdles. Collisions with space debris could damage hardware. Supplying water for cooling systems is nearly impossible in orbit. Plus, fixing hardware issues remotely would be very challenging. Latency, or delays in data transmission, could also affect performance, especially for real-time applications.

Despite these concerns, companies continue to explore space as a new frontier for computing. Starcloud’s project is part of a broader push to understand how data centers might operate outside traditional environments. As technology advances, some of these hurdles may become easier to overcome, opening new possibilities for cloud services in space.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4132193/starcloud-prepares-to-launch-aws-outpost-into-space-2.html

Sources

• networkworld.com
• reuters.com
• networkworld.com