Should we build data centers in space?

There is no way to stop the advancement of our technology whether it is good or not. Perhaps we have no realistic choice about building data centers somewhere. Then, considering environmental impact of these massive projects, space is a better place.

Opposed in general to the rush to build data centers willy-nilly either on the planet or around it. There will be impacts of one kind or another in every case, most importantly environmental. Given the ENORMOUS impact of hyper scale data centers, they should be allowed ONLY with strict enforcement that they are used only for socially beneficial purposes.

With good planning—yes, undoubtedly. Water is a scarce resource on Earth, fundamental to ecosystems and the humans who inhabit them.

I am an astrophysicist and I am completely opposite to any kind of heavy sky pollution of the observing sky that empeach the study of the universe. Is simply like that.

No. Data centres require masses of power. Where would orbiting data centres get that power? Consider the size of the solar panels necessary to power a home - it's approximately one roof full. How many processors will that power, considering it'll be in the earth's shape half the time? Fewer than 100 is my guess. 100 processors is not a data centre. And you have to hoist the machinery, including a battery, into space. So I don't imagine these would actually BE data centres. It doesn't feel like it would add up economically. That leaves me speculating about what it would actually be. A land grab looks most likely to me.

As long as all those satellites are all on USA sky, I don't care.

It is everyone's earth, it is everyone's sky. If USA wants to do it, do it above your own head. If American think letting a private company, a single person taking over all the spaces that belong to all American is a good idea, go with it.

I don't think we should follow this path. what data could be so important to destroy the nature we have for them, the night sky and the endlessness. why create sth that creates so much destruction? For what? Hybris and profit for a few and control and a coerced population who has to play the game cause everybody is playing it? no way. we need nature. not dystopian illusions.

That’s overboard. City lights already blocks too much of the night sky

Starting the discussion with a trade-off scenario incorporates bias into the question. It's not an either or situation. Like any corporate expansion, environmental impact studies should be performed, assessment for free-trade/monopoly advantage should be weighed, regulations should be considered as well as the cost to the planet at large. My personal opinion: the night sky should be off limits to human activity. We can never be lost when we can find the north star. Connection to the cosmos is the one thing that reminds us just how small we are in the universe. Maybe that is the point in big tech/ultra rich polluting the blue zone.

No, we should not built data centers in space. It's my understanding that maintaining these space data centers would be impossible at worst and impractical at best. If it will negatively affect astronomers, observatories, migrating birds, and average people who enjoy stargazing to relax or bond with their loved ones... why would we ever even consider this? It's just a disaster that would be a major burden to fix.

Data centers in orbit seem very speculative. There's already too much space junk in orbit, and it's continuing to get worse, even without space data centers. While AI has its place, the current AI race which is driving the desire for more and bigger data centers is itself being driven by the super rich trying to become even more super rich. The human family as a whole doesn't need more AI. We need better access to housing, clean water and air, better jobs, better access to decent food and decent healthcare. The AI race is giving us the exact opposite. Less water access, more fossil fuels polluting our air, more worker exploitation. It's helping to make the extremes of wealth and poverty more extreme. We need a world designed for all of humanity, not just for the rich.

No as would be just more light pollution stopping people seeing the universe, also we still have no reasonable answer to why do we need these data centres, sorry but my encounters with AI indicate it is more stupid than most of humanity

No. The starry night sky is the most fundamental common experience of reality: that we are part of a cosmic phenomenon—a unique but integral part of something we did not create and do not control. We have ver little grasp on how the non-human aspects of Earth depend upon the stars. We are just learning that a few species depend on the stars for navigation and there is so much yet unknown. 100x more satellites than stars subjects the entire earth to this disruption. Not only my night sky, but National Parks, the Australian Outback, Antarctica … places despoiled that reap no benefit. And have no say in this decision. At some point we have to know we have enough. Unrestrained growth destroys the host.

No don't clutter space with date centers. We need to see stars as do our grandchildren! Those folks that need data centers should build them in their own back yards!

Yes, but with limitations, so everything stays safe.

No. There’s already too much junk in space. We don’t need a million data centers. They are awful environmental disasters.

Think of how much of our character as human beings is shaped by the [perhaps] mythical story told by the stars. If we blot out the heavens, do we also blot out our cultural heritage? What are we if not the experiences of our personal and cultural histories? So, I'm being prepared; I'm keeping my thinking simple: tons os metal and plastic objects doing our thinking for us. Newton: "What goes up...." Hmmm. Oh, well. We can just live in caves, with Chicken Little.

We should respect space and learn from as it naturally occurs. Who are we to think altering space is something we should do? What is the sum of mankind’s knowledge about space compared to what we have yet to learn? No we should not launch satellites to solve a terrestrial problem. We should tackle the problems of square footage, and energy and water requirements, in an environmentally intelligent way, right here on earth.

Two questions: what about the environmental burden of constructing data centers in space, and what about their security? The current gigantic buildings on Earth look like an easy target for a terrorist attack, and I would imagine putting them in space would allow them to be shot at by any country or group capable of launching a satellite.

You cannot really build a data center in space. It would be too difficult to cool them. Electrical Engineers and scientist has shown that the heat generated by the processors could not be cooled by a practical sized satellite.

I enjoy watching the ISS whenever it comes overhead in my area. But I enjoy the night sky more. The constellations, planets & the Milky Way are a source of wonder & enjoyment. I don't think we should allow data centers to destroy the beauty of the night sky. In addition, they would make research more difficult. So no. A big no from me.

I think the idea of building data centers in space is incredibly short-sighted. Not only would it negatively impact the simple joy of looking at the sky at night, but studying it would become nearly impossible. Also, I imagine that it would make any future space venture more labor-intensive on the logistics front. That isn't even getting into the longevity of these devices, expected advancements in technology that will make this venture obsolete, etc.