Data centres on Earth need a lot of power to operate and account for 1%-2% of the world’s electricity, a figure that could double by 2030, according to a Goldman Sachs report.
Placing data centres in space could overcome issues with power consumption as there is unlimited access to solar power, and excess heat can simply be radiated into space.
Space-based data centres would also be more secure than those on Earth as they would be connected with unhackable laser links and be less vulnerable to natural disasters and sabotage.
However, such projects would require electronic equipment engineered to withstand harsh space conditions, as well as technologies to assemble and maintain large-scale structures in space.
Nevertheless, the need for digital infrastructure to support growing lunar economies and future space exploration makes space-based data centres a tantalising prospect.
US companies Lonestar Data Holdings and Axiom have already begun testing the concept, with plans for commercial services by 2027.