Ars Technica (24 March 2026)

Orbital data centers, part 1: There’s no way this is economically viable, right?

Another natural resource that will undoubtedly be affected by orbital data centers is the night sky. These satellites, necessitating large solar arrays, will be much more visible than most satellites today. And if companies like SpaceX have their way, there would be something like a factor of 100 more satellites than what are zipping around orbit today. It is a sobering thought for astronomers, who not only love a dark sky but also rely on it to make observations.

The astronomical community has dealt with satellites photo-bombing the night sky for a long time, but the problem worsened in 2019 when SpaceX started launching operational Starlink satellites. So far, scientists and the space companies have largely been able to work out their differences.

“At this point in time, largely because we have pursued dialogue with the industry, we have avoided what we were concerned about in 2019 as the worst outcome,” said John Barentine, an astronomer and self-described “defender” of dark skies. “We’ve seen companies like SpaceX, and some of their competitors, making efforts on a voluntary basis to reduce their impact on ground-based astronomy.”

Read more: ​https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/orbital-data-centers-part-1-theres-no-way-this-is-economically-viable-right/