The European Union will move data centers into space

Although big tech companies are theoretically committed to the green transformation, in practice their emissions and the energy demand of their data centers are constantly increasing, as Google’s report this year shows. However, the results of a joint study by French technology company Thales Alenia Space and Italian company Leonardo may offer a solution to the problem: data centers will be moved to space, writes The Next Web.

Airbus, Ariane Group and the German Space Agency also took part in the 16-month investigation. Christophe ValorgyTechnical Director of Thales Alenia Space, according to which installing data centers in space would significantly reduce the burden on the environment, but the level of service would not decrease.

Head of the Ascend project launched by the European Union, Damien Domestier By 2036, 13 data centers could be in space, consuming a total of 10 megawatts of power, and by 2050 it will reach 1 gigawatt. These will orbit the Earth at an altitude of about 1,400 kilometers, three times higher than the International Space Station, he added. hvg.

There may be a possibility of storing data in space, as the units could be powered by solar energy 24 hours a day, and water cooling would not be necessary, as space already provides extreme cold.

At the same time, experts have pointed out that this move itself would entail enormous emissions with current technology: modules with emissions 10 times lower than current launch vehicles would be needed to make the project worthwhile. To this end, ArianeGroup is already working on developing a more environmentally friendly launch vehicle.