For decades, data centres have been the unseen factories of the digital age. They power our payments, our markets, our governance systems, and now, increasingly, artificial intelligence. Yet, these factories are hitting Earth’s hard limits—energy, water, land, and social acceptance.

A radical idea is moving from the fringes to serious boardrooms and laboratories worldwide: data centres in space. What sounds like science fiction is, in fact, a logical next step in the evolution of compute, energy, and sustainability.

The Earthly Limits of Digital Growth: AI, cloud computing, and real-time digital services are growing at an exponential pace. Data centres already consume a significant and rising share of global electricity. Cooling alone accounts for up to half their energy use, often relying on scarce water resources. Land acquisition, grid bottlenecks, and local opposition further constrain expansion.

Put simply, the digital economy’s appetite is outgrowing Earth’s capacity to host it efficiently. This is not a failure of technology; it is a triumph—one that demands a new frontier.

Why Space Changes the Economics Completely: Space offers a combination of physical advantages no terrestrial location can match.

First, solar power without compromise: Above the atmosphere, solar panels........

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