| ▲ | tristanj 4 hours ago |
| Economics calculator for Orbital vs Terrestrial Data Centers https://andrewmccalip.com/space-datacenters You can play around with the cost sliders to estimate the economics, but even being quite optimistic, space data centers cost ~2-3x of their terrestrial counterparts. |
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| ▲ | lispisok 31 minutes ago | parent | next [-] |
| The point of datacenters in space is about control not economics. They dont want the masses which they are trying to replace with AI and robots to have access to the datacenters running everything. |
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| ▲ | bayindirh 18 minutes ago | parent [-] | | Why people always take the worst parts of SciFi novels and try to built torment nexus? Again, we're getting closer to Hyperion Cantos here. |
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| ▲ | PowerfulWizard 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| To remove heat by radiation there's a big benefit to running the GPUs hotter as the radiation will be proportional to the fourth power of temperature. This resource is using 85 deg C versus 60 deg C for OP which will improve cooling performance. If Nvidia/SpaceX can make the chips run at a higher temperature that would help a lot although I assume it would have already been done if it were possible. Another option is to add a heat pump to raise radiator temperature if the smaller radiator mass can pay for the heat pump mass. |
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| ▲ | cucumber3732842 3 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | Could they run the chips at "normal" temperatures and then heat pump that all into some other mass that lives at "aerospace alloy" temperatures and radiates it away more efficiently? | | | |
| ▲ | mc32 32 minutes ago | parent | prev [-] | | Sorry but wouldn’t space based DCs need radiation hardened parts which are typically a few generations behind SoTA? Do the centers deploy massive shields to protect the electronics? |
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| ▲ | biomcgary 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| But, datacenter development in space does not deal with local NIMBYs, just centralized decision-makers that are easier to "influence". |
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| ▲ | nba456_ 3 hours ago | parent [-] | | The NIMBYs are coming for space launch sites, too. | | |
| ▲ | arjie 3 hours ago | parent [-] | | That particular concern is currently covered as far as SpaceX is concerned since it launches under DoD coverage. See the California Coastal Commission and the fact that they had to apologize etc. for attempted overreach. |
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| ▲ | krunck 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| They'll pay the price if it means their data centers are immune to the anger of the commoners who are being surveilled, analyzed, and manipulated by systems running on these data centers. |
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| ▲ | its-summertime 2 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | I think the more likely goal would be immunity to regulation. | |
| ▲ | _DeadFred_ 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | I'm still expecting a crypto satellite network to phone app now that normal phones have became satellite connectible. Something outside oversight. |
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| ▲ | OutOfHere 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-] |
| You are altogether externalizing the cost of carbon dioxide emissions that humanity has to pay for. The resulting global warming is not a joke. The heat problem cumulatively is bigger on Earth than it would be in space. |
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| ▲ | xnx 4 hours ago | parent [-] | | Cost = emmissions | | |
| ▲ | DoctorOetker 3 hours ago | parent [-] | | No, cost is not directly proportional to emissions. Heat emission in space is not problematic for humans | | |
| ▲ | xnx 2 hours ago | parent [-] | | Are you counting the emissions to get the datacenters into space? | | |
| ▲ | OutOfHere 2 hours ago | parent [-] | | That's an environmental and financial cost, but it's a one time cost. For datacenters on Earth, the emissions are continuous. | | |
| ▲ | fulafel 26 minutes ago | parent [-] | | Are there going to be self sustaining server factories in space? The hw needs updating every few years. |
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