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Comment by xyzzyz | Hacker News Reader

The point is that while power and water is scarce in space, the NY state has no jurisdiction there. It might literally be easier to build data center in space than it is to overcome social and political pressure in NY.

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It's extremely unlikely that companies will find no locations that let them build zero power zero water data centers. And bulk AI stuff isn't latency sensitive either so the acceptable build radius is huge.

Exactly. This whole thing is not about being able to build whatever they can afford, it’s about being in a (stupid) race to build it as fast as possible.

Even for ultimate speed I don't see how it works. Facilities to make and launch satellites add a lot of delays and need their own permits.

The queue to hook up to the Texas grid is 3-5 years long now.

It’s long been 2-3 years nationwide (for redundant transmission grid connections).

Good thing this is about off-grid datacenters.

Building an off-grid data center is much easier in space where sunlight exposure is predictable and not affected by weather.

That's an advantage.

"Much easier" overall is quite a claim.

Most locations that could provide guaranteed power for western companies with stable governments are also full of NIMBY or NGO who could easily blockade those datacenters. Then you'll have to run to offgrid locations where you have to build 24hr battery for solar with closed loop cooling. Is 24hr battery+solar on earth cheaper than LEO satellites in constant sun without batteries? That's the question that would make or break satellite datacenters, as political climate against AI datacenters is increasingly getting bad with increasing electricity prices.

> Is 24hr battery+solar on earth cheaper than LEO satellites in constant sun without batteries?

I'll be shocked if it isn't.

Cost of a full H100 rack is approaching the price to shoot it into space at $1,500 per kilogram.

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