The plans to put data centres in orbit and on the Moon

In a world where our dependence on data continues to grow at an astonishing pace, the next frontier for cloud computing might not be on Earth at all. Researchers and tech companies are now seriously considering moving data centres into space—both in orbit around Earth and even on the surface of the Moon. It sounds like something out of science fiction, but the motivations behind these plans are rooted in very real problems, and the technology is starting to catch up with the vision.

Why Take Data Centres Off Earth?

One of the biggest reasons is energy. Data centres are notoriously power-hungry. They consume vast amounts of electricity, not just to keep servers running but to keep them cool. In space, particularly in orbit or on the Moon's shaded side, the naturally cold environment could make cooling far more efficient, potentially cutting down on energy use and operational costs.

There’s also the environmental factor. As global internet usage increases, so does the energy footprint of data centres. Moving some of this infrastructure off-planet, where it could be powered by solar energy and not rely on Earth’s grid, might be a more sustainable long-term solution.

Security and disaster resilience are also major drivers. Space-based data centres could act as a secure backup for critical systems on Earth, immune to natural disasters, power outages, and even large-scale cyberattacks. If something were to happen to major infrastructure on Earth, space data centres could help keep essential services online.

Finally, there’s the future of space exploration. As missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond become more ambitious, there will be a growing need for local data storage and processing power. Having data centres in space could make communication faster and more efficient for astronauts and automated systems.

Who’s Working on This?

Several organizations are already taking real steps toward this goal.

A startup called Lonestar Data Holdings, based in Florida, has announced plans to establish data centres on the Moon. Working with NASA and Intuitive Machines, they aim to launch their first data storage unit to the lunar surface by 2026. Their goal is to create a secure, Earth-independent backup for vital data.

In Europe, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Thales Alenia Space are exploring orbital data centres through a project called ASCEND. The idea is to launch modular, solar-powered computing units into low Earth orbit to test the feasibility of cloud computing from space.

And while not quite in space, Microsoft’s Project Natick—which tested underwater data centres—has helped pave the way by proving that self-contained, remotely managed data units can survive in extreme environments for years at a time. The same principles could apply in space.

The Challenges Ahead

Of course, this is no small task. Electronics in space are exposed to radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations, which can damage components and shorten their lifespan. Protecting these systems and keeping them running reliably will be a major engineering challenge.

Latency is another concern. Even with advances in communication technology, data still takes time to travel from Earth to orbit—or to the Moon. For certain applications, even a fraction of a second delay can be a problem.

Then there’s the cost. Launching hardware into space isn’t cheap, and maintenance becomes much more complicated once systems are beyond Earth’s atmosphere. But as rocket launches become more affordable and satellite technology advances, the costs are expected to come down.

Looking Ahead

This is not a short-term vision. These early steps are just the beginning of what could become a broader shift over the next few decades. While space data centres won’t replace their Earth-based counterparts any time soon, they could serve as vital backups, improve resilience, and eventually support humanity’s expansion beyond Earth.

The idea of storing and processing data in space might have seemed far-fetched a few years ago, but with the right mix of innovation, necessity, and investment, it’s quickly becoming a serious part of the conversation about the future of technology.

As our digital world grows, it only makes sense that we start thinking beyond our own planet to support it. The Moon might not just be a destination for astronauts, but for the cloud itself.