Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced gigawatt-scale data centers will be built in space within 10 to 20 years. Speaking at Italian Tech Week in Turin on October 3, 2025, Bezos discussed the future of computing infrastructure. According to Data Center Dynamics, he predicted these facilities would eventually surpass Earth-based ones in performance and cost.

Bezos explained the key advantage during a conversation with Ferrari and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann. Space-based facilities would access solar power constantly without weather interruptions. He stated these orbital data centers would beat terrestrial costs within decades. The announcement positions space as the next frontier for computing infrastructure.

Bezos described this development as part of a broader pattern. Weather satellites and communication satellites already operate in orbit. Data centers represent the logical next step in this progression. After data centers, other manufacturing operations will follow into space.

Energy Crisis Drives Space Solutions

Data center electricity consumption faces unprecedented growth driven by artificial intelligence and cloud computing demands. The International Energy Agency projects global data center electricity use will more than double by 2030. Consumption will rise from 415 terawatt-hours in 2024 to 945 terawatt-hours by 2030.

AI represents the primary driver of this increase. AI-optimized data centers will require more than quadruple the electricity by 2030. In the United States, data centers will account for nearly half of electricity demand growth between now and 2030. This surge creates pressure on existing power infrastructure and renewable energy sources.

The space solution addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. Orbital facilities eliminate cooling costs through heat radiation into space. Solar panels capture energy without atmospheric interference or nighttime interruptions. These advantages could offset the substantial costs of rocket launches and orbital construction.

Competition Intensifies for Orbital Computing

Multiple technology leaders and startups pursue space-based computing infrastructure. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt acquired rocket company Relativity Space in March 2025 for this purpose. TechSpot reports Schmidt confirmed his acquisition aims to launch data centers into orbit. During congressional testimony, Schmidt warned data centers will require 67 additional gigawatts of power by 2030.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also discussed the need for space-based computing capabilities. Several companies plan orbital data center deployments including Axiom Space, Starcloud, NTT, Ramon.Space, and Sophia Space. Startup Lonestar successfully placed a small data center on the Moon earlier in 2025.

Blue Origin, Bezos's aerospace company, develops the technology necessary for orbital infrastructure. The company launched its Blue Ring spacecraft platform in October 2023 with in-space cloud computing capability. Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket completed its maiden launch in January 2025. These platforms provide the foundation for future orbital data center construction.

Skeptics question the economic viability and technical feasibility. Challenges include maintenance difficulties, limited upgrade capabilities, and high launch costs. Radiation exposure and orbital debris present additional risks. However, proponents argue decreasing launch costs and improving space technology will overcome these obstacles.

Further Reading

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