Elon Musk is assembling a team of experts to turn space into the leading platform for artificial intelligence computing

SpaceX is looking for specialists for orbital data centers

Elon Musk announced the start of recruiting engineers and technical staff as part of SpaceX’s new project – creating a “cloud” computing complex in space.

- Project goal

The company plans to launch a million satellites, each delivering about 100 kW of computing power per ton of mass. According to Musk, an additional 100 GW can be added annually to this infrastructure for artificial intelligence tasks.

- Announcement and motivation

The plan was first mentioned in a memorandum on SpaceX’s acquisition of the startup xAI. Musk stresses that “without alternatives” there is no further scaling of the technology.

- Interview with Dwarkesh Patel

In the podcast, the entrepreneur said that within 30–36 months space will become the most economically viable location for AI infrastructure.
Patel countered: “Electricity accounts for only 10–15 % of total data center costs; maintaining orbital assets could negate the savings.”
Musk replied that it’s not about energy cost but its physical availability. He noted that outside China electricity production is almost stagnant, limiting further expansion of on‑ground centers.

- Data center power consumption problem

- In 2023 they consumed ~4.4 % of all U.S. electricity (U.S. Energy Information Administration).
- Large facilities already compete with major cities in energy use.
- Global investment in the sector is worth trillions of dollars.

- Forecasts

- The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates data centers will account for 1.5 % of global electricity consumption by 2024.
- McKinsey projects that $6.7 trillion in investments will be needed by 2030 to grow the industry.

- Advantages of orbital capacity

Musk claims moving computing to space will:

1. Reduce strain on local power grids.
2. Free land resources for other uses.

Thus, SpaceX aims to take AI computing to a new level, making it more energy‑efficient and scalable through orbital data centers.