Orbital Data Centres

Artificial Intelligence is creating unprecedented demand for electricity, forcing governments, hyperscalers, and researchers to rethink how future data centres will be powered. While orbital data centres and space-based solar power capture public imagination, atmospheric solar platforms may offer a more practical, scalable, and economically viable solution over the next two decades. This article compares atmospheric, ocean-based, terrestrial, nuclear, and space energy architectures to determine which technologies are best positioned to support the next generation of AI infrastructure.