SpaceX unveils Starmind AI satellite constellation to compute in orbit

SpaceX has revealed details of its Starmind project, a planned constellation of AI‑1 satellites that will perform artificial‑intelligence inference directly in space. Each satellite, roughly the size of a seven‑story building, is designed to deliver around 120 kW of compute power (up to 150 kW at peak) using solar energy and a liquid‑radiator cooling system. The satellites will operate at about 600 km altitude, launch on SpaceX’s Starship vehicle, and be deployed in a modular architecture that could eventually include up to one million units. Production is slated to begin by the end of 2027, with the first prototypes scheduled for launch in early 2027.

Analysts say Starmind could pose a strategic challenge to major cloud service providers such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google by moving AI workloads away from terrestrial data centres. If space‑based computing proves viable, it may disrupt existing cloud business models and alter market dynamics for these firms.