SpaceX's Latest FCC Filing
I've been following SpaceX's developments closely, and their latest move is intriguing. On Friday, SpaceX submitted a request to the FCC seeking approval for a constellation of 1 million data center satellites to be placed into orbit. This isn't just any satellite network; these would be solar-powered data centers designed to operate in low Earth orbit.
Negotiation Tactics and Realism
From my perspective, the FCC is unlikely to greenlight a network of this scale outright. SpaceX has a history of requesting approval for unrealistically large numbers of satellites as an initial bargaining position. This strategy allows room for negotiations, potentially leading to a more feasible but still ambitious deployment.
Technical Details of the Proposal
The filing outlines a network where these data centers communicate with each other using lasers, creating a highly interconnected system. It's presented in almost science-fiction terms, positioning the constellation as a foundational step toward humanity becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization—one capable of harnessing the full energy output of the Sun.
