A Washington startup claims the subsequent frontier in computing (and presumably bitcoin mining) might orbit a whole lot of kilometers above Earth.
Bitcoin mining heads to area as Starcloud prepares to launch Starcloud-2 satellite tv for pc
In line with a report from PCMag, Redmond-based area know-how and synthetic intelligence (AI) infrastructure firm Starcloud is advancing plans to put information facilities in low Earth orbit, a transfer designed to reap the benefits of steady solar energy and the pure cooling properties of area whereas additionally teasing the potential of mining bitcoins past Earth’s ambiance.
The corporate first demonstrated its idea in November 2025 when it launched Starcloud-1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The small satellite tv for pc, the scale of a fridge, carried 5 Nvidia H100 processors, marking the primary time>
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Now the corporate is making ready a bigger monitoring satellite tv for pc. CEO Philip Johnston stated Starcloud-2, anticipated to launch in late 2026, will carry a a lot bigger GPU cluster together with specialised bitcoin mining {hardware} often called ASICs (application-specific built-in circuits).
“There’s additionally bitcoin mining… We’ll have some bitcoin mining ASICs on the launch of the second spacecraft later this yr,” Johnston stated through the PCMag interview. “We consider we would be the first to mine a coin in area.”
The idea relies on two distinctive benefits of orbit. Satellites positioned on sun-synchronous trajectories can obtain practically fixed daylight, eliminating night time cycles and most climate disturbances that have an effect on photo voltaic power on Earth. On the identical time, the vacuum of area acts as an enormous warmth sink, permitting radiators to launch waste warmth instantly into area with out water-intensive cooling programs.
Starcloud maintains that these situations might dramatically scale back power prices. The corporate estimates that orbital information facilities might function at roughly 10 instances decrease power prices than conventional services whereas delivering related reductions in lifetime carbon emissions.
To assist that imaginative and prescient, the startup has filed paperwork with the Federal Communications Fee (FCC) requesting approval of a constellation of as much as 88,000 satellites devoted to orbital computing infrastructure. Johnston has outlined the long-term objective of constructing a 5-gigawatt orbital information heart supported by large photo voltaic arrays that can span a number of kilometers.
Bitcoin mining is offered as one of many first checks of the power mannequin. Mining {hardware} is less expensive than high-end AI processors and might monetize extra power generated by orbital photo voltaic panels.
ASIC mining machines usually price a whole lot or a couple of thousand {dollars} per unit, in comparison with tens of hundreds of GPUs with superior AI. As a result of mining primarily converts electrical energy into cryptographic calculations, the provision of fixed photo voltaic power makes it a pure alternative for off-planet energy technology.
The thought of mining bitcoins in area has circulated for years, however Starcloud’s plan represents one of many first publicly disclosed {hardware} implementations aimed toward testing the idea. One other startup, Intercosmic Power, has proposed a roadmap for solar-powered orbital mining programs, though it has not but launched operational {hardware}.
Falling launch prices are serving to to revive curiosity within the idea. Trendy rockets are steadily lowering the associated fee per kilogram of payload delivered to orbit, making the deployment of computing {hardware} and enormous photo voltaic panels on Earth extra possible.
On the identical time, enhancements in mining {hardware} effectivity have slowed in comparison with earlier years. That longer substitute cycle means ASICs might stay helpful for longer durations, which might enhance the economics of working them in area.
Regardless of the passion, the method faces vital obstacles. House {hardware} should survive radiation publicity, temperature modifications, and potential collisions with particles. The satellite tv for pc’s reliability additionally stays a priority: one in every of Starcloud-1’s GPUs failed earlier than launch.
Regulators and environmental teams are additionally watching intently. Giant constellations increase questions on orbital congestion and the chance of particles cascading occasions, generally referred to as Kessler syndrome.
Even throughout the tech sector, some observers stay skeptical about near-term viability. Critics argue that sustaining high-performance computing programs in orbit introduces logistical challenges that might outweigh the power advantages, at the least within the early years.
Nonetheless, curiosity in orbital computing is spreading quickly. Corporations similar to SpaceX, Blue Origin and Axiom House have outlined plans involving orbital infrastructure that might assist computing workloads.
Market forecasts counsel that orbital mining title=”Find out about Bitcoin Mining” goal=”_blank”>bitcoin mining is much less of a vacation spot than an indication. By working ASICs alongside AI {hardware}, the corporate hopes to show that fixed solar energy in orbit can assist each rising AI workloads and energy-intensive crypto operations.
If the Starcloud-2 mission is profitable later this yr, the primary bitcoin mined in area might arrive prior to many anticipated, marking one other milestone within the rising intersection of area know-how and digital infrastructure.
Incessantly requested questions 🛰️
- What’s StarCloud?Starcloud is a Washington-based startup creating solar-powered low-Earth orbit information facilities.
- Is bitcoin mining actually occurring in area?Starcloud says its Starcloud-2 satellite tv for pc launch in 2026 will carry ASIC {hardware} designed to mine bitcoins.
- Why mine bitcoins in area?Fixed solar energy and vacuum cooling might make orbital computing less expensive and extra power environment friendly.
- When might the primary bitcoin be mined in orbit?If the Starcloud-2 mission is profitable, the primary bitcoin mined in area could possibly be produced by the top of 2026.
