SpaceX and Google mull massive partnership on Musk's orbital data dream: report

"Google is in exclusive talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX for a rocket launch deal to deploy data centers in orbit. The Wall Street Journal is now reporting today, May 12, that the discussions mark Google's aggressive expansion into space-based computing, addressing the exploding energy needs of artificial intelligence that terrestrial infrastructure can no longer sustain."

"The catalyst for a potential deal is clear: AI's voracious appetite for electricity. Global data centers consumed about 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024-roughly 1.5 percent of worldwide usage-according to the International Energy Agency. That figure is projected to more than double to around 945 TWh by 2030, with AI-focused servers growing at 30 percent annually, outpacing overall electricity demand growth by more than four times."

"Some forecasts peg data center consumption exceeding 1,000 TWh by 2026, equivalent to Japan's entire national electricity use. A single large AI training facility can draw as much power as 100,000 homes. On Earth, this translates to grid overloads, skyrocketing costs, land shortages, and massive water demands for cooling-constraints t"

Google is in exclusive talks with SpaceX for a rocket launch deal to deploy data centers in orbit. The effort supports Google’s expansion into space-based computing and aims to address electricity needs driven by artificial intelligence. Global data centers consumed about 415 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, and demand is projected to rise to around 945 terawatt-hours by 2030. AI-focused servers are expected to grow about 30% annually, outpacing overall electricity demand growth. Some forecasts project data center consumption exceeding 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026. Large AI training facilities can require power comparable to tens of thousands of homes, creating grid strain, higher costs, land constraints, and cooling-related water demands on Earth.

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