Orbiting Data Centers for Global Connectivity

Data center power use is skyrocketing, while the fuel supply vanishes. "Green" energy intermittency may limit the reliability and growth of communication and internet-mediated applications.

The sun produces 380 trillion terawatts of power. Our planet intercepts less than a billionth of that, mostly claimed by the biosphere. Meanwhile, all the power civilization will ever need is streaming out into empty space, unused.

Server sky will tap this huge energy resource, using semiconductor mass production techniques to build huge arrays of small, ultra-thin satellites in MEO (medium earth orbit). This sparsely populated region is above the low earth orbit collision zone, and closer than geosynchronous broadcast satellites. Arrays convert tens of megawatts of space solar energy into computation and communication.

Server sky arrays are large parallel computers and phased array antennas, electronically steering hundreds of simultaneous data streams to millions of fixed or mobile ground stations, independent of terrestrial fiber optics and switches. Round trip ping time to latitudes between 50 degrees north and south is less than 100 milliseconds. Communication is asymmetric - low bandwidth up, high bandwidth down - matching current internet use.

High power-to-weight ratios, electronically steerable links, and shorter path lengths make server sky orders of magnitude better for data communication than traditional "big box" satellites.

Recent advances in radiation resistance permit unshielded electronics in the van Allen belt. Light sail maneuvering replaces rocket motors for accurate positioning and station keeping.

The Server Sky project is non-proprietary open technology. It is speculative. We are building a team before accepting funding. Participate! The project wiki is http://www.server-sky.com