Cheap(ish) Space to Earth optical has been tested by NASA/MIT with the T-BIRD sat -- it used 2x 100G CFP optics and an off-the-shelf EDFA to send 200Gbps to a 12in telescope on earth while it was overhead. On Thu, Apr 20, 2023 at 4:25 AM Hesham ElBakoury via Starlink < starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net> wrote: > Yves Durand is the director of technology at Thales Alenia Space, the > joint venture charged with studying the feasibility of space data centers, > with the goal of deploying them in the early 2030s. > > The article I sent before says: "Durand doesn’t doubt the viability of > building a data center in space, and says that construction will be “fully > automated – no astronauts. In fact, the project involves development of > special, robotic assembly technology.” A founding principle is to design a > modular facility with electronic components that can be easily transported > on a reusable space shuttles. Unlike terrestrial, fiber-based communication > facilities, the data centers in space will use optical technology." > > Hesham > > On Wed, Apr 19, 2023, 6:16 PM Vint Cerf via Starlink < > starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net> wrote: > >> O&M will be a bear >> v >> >> >> On Wed, Apr 19, 2023 at 9:13 PM Tom Evslin via Starlink < >> starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net> wrote: >> >>> I think space-based data centers will be the rule rather than the >>> exception. Wrote about that a couple of years ago although, as usual, >>> things have not happened as quickly as I predicted >>> https://blog.tomevslin.com/2021/07/computing-clouds-in-orbit-a-possible-roadmap.html >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: Starlink On Behalf Of >>> Michael Richardson via Starlink >>> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 7:35 PM >>> To: starlink ; e-impact@ietf.org >>> Subject: [Starlink] DataCenters in Space (was Re: fiber IXPs in space) >>> >>> >>> I saw this reported in BIS-Spaceflight. >>> (I'm usually a few months behind in reading it) I like the "first >>> objective"! >>> >>> >>> https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press-release/ascend-thales-alenia-space-lead-european-feasibility-study-data >>> >>> Cannes, November 14, 2022 – Thales Alenia Space, the joint company >>> between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has been chosen by the European >>> Commission to lead the ASCEND (Advanced Space Cloud for European Net zero >>> emission and Data sovereignty) feasibility study for data centers in orbit, >>> as part of Europe’s vast Horizon Europe research program. >>> >>> Digital technology’s expanding environmental footprint is becoming a >>> major >>> challenge: the burgeoning need for digitalization means that data >>> centers in Europe and around the world are growing at an exponential pace, >>> which in turn has a critical energy and environmental impact. >>> >>> The first objective of this study will be to assess if the carbon >>> emissions from the production and launch of these space infrastructures >>> will be significantly lower than the emissions generated by ground-based >>> data centers, therefore contributing to the achievement of global carbon >>> neutrality. The second objective will be to prove that it is possible to >>> develop the required launch solution and to ensure the deployment and >>> operability of these spaceborne data centers using robotic assistance >>> technologies currently being developed in Europe, such as the EROSS IOD >>> demonstrator. >>> >>> This project is expected to demonstrate to which extent space-based data >>> centers would limit the energy and environmental impact of their ground >>> counterparts, thus allowing major investments within the scope of Europe’s >>> Green Deal, possibly justifying the development of a more climate-friendly, >>> reusable heavy launch vehicle. Europe could thus regain its leadership in >>> space transport and space logistics, as well as the assembly and operations >>> of large infrastructures in orbit. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Starlink mailing list >>> Starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net >>> https://lists.bufferbloat.net/listinfo/starlink >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Starlink mailing list >>> Starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net >>> https://lists.bufferbloat.net/listinfo/starlink >>> >> >> >> -- >> Please send any postal/overnight deliveries to: >> Vint Cerf >> Google, LLC >> 1900 Reston Metro Plaza, 16th Floor >> Reston, VA 20190 >> +1 (571) 213 1346 >> >> >> until further notice >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Starlink mailing list >> Starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net >> https://lists.bufferbloat.net/listinfo/starlink >> > _______________________________________________ > Starlink mailing list > Starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net > https://lists.bufferbloat.net/listinfo/starlink >