According to a report by The Hill, on Wednesday local time, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman proposed moving data centers into space to ease the controversy caused by the continued expansion of data centers in the United States.
Isaacman added: “We could send data centers into Earth orbit and use that free fusion reactor out there to provide energy, ensuring that the United States wins not only the space race but also the AI race.”
He believes this would “bring huge benefits,” allowing companies to power data centers directly with solar energy.
Data centers supporting the AI industry have recently sparked widespread public backlash. Many people believe that building large numbers of data centers will increase the costs borne by local residents and negatively affect the environment.
As opposition has grown, politicians from both major U.S. parties have begun distancing themselves from data center projects. Candidates in some swing states support tightening data center policies while accusing their opponents of being too close to the technology industry.
IT Home learned that Isaacman had previously proposed sending data centers into space. When appearing on the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast in early August this year, he described the idea as an “excellent” way to respond to public dissatisfaction. “Elon Musk and others in the industry are all saying, ‘Send those data centers that nobody wants built near their homes into space, so they won’t bother anyone.’ And it seems that everyone has a lot of consensus on this issue.”
In addition, under his proposal, space data centers would need to be equipped with solar panels covering tens of thousands of square meters.