[Tech Talk] Creating a Data Center in Space with Hundreds of Satellites

Satellite Equipped with Computer Devices
Connected to Function Like a 'Data Center'
Practical Idea to Overcome Latency Limits

It may sound absurd, but some corporate nations are seriously engaged in this project.

[Image source=Pixabay]

Of course, the term 'space data center' does not literally mean launching a massive data center building into outer space. Instead, it refers to deploying dozens or hundreds of satellites equipped with 'computers' to function similarly to a data center.

When satellites equipped with computers communicate with each other...

Space Internet Satellite Starlink
[Image Source=SpaceX]

The type of satellite varies depending on its payload. If equipped with high-performance cameras or radar, it becomes an Earth observation satellite; if fitted with atomic clocks, it becomes a GPS satellite; and if it contains communication devices, it becomes a communication satellite. Therefore, satellites carrying computer components such as processors and memory, which are key parts of a data center, can be called 'space data centers.'

Of course, there are limits to the size and weight of satellites that humans can launch into Earth's orbit. Consequently, the amount of processors or memory that can be installed on a single satellite is also limited.

Instead, space data centers overcome these limitations through satellite-to-satellite communication technology. For example, the recently introduced laser communication technology between satellites converts data into laser form, enabling satellites to communicate with each other. This method is much faster than radio communication and can transmit large amounts of data at once. By linking processor satellites, memory satellites, and data node satellites in this way, a data center orbiting the Earth is created.

Practical solution to latency issues

Conceptual diagram of the space data center by Japanese telecommunications company NTT. [Image source=NTT website]

Some companies have already invested in space data centers. One representative example is NTT, one of Japan's largest telecommunications companies. In 2022, they announced plans to build a 'space data center' by 2025, combining computer satellites, memory satellites, and laser communication satellites.

Why are companies interested in space data centers? It is related to the limitations of space communication technology. Although there are quite a few satellite-related services today, such as satellite maps, they have not yet deeply penetrated our daily lives. This is due to the fundamental limitation of satellite communication: latency.

Satellites collect information with onboard sensors and then transmit that information as radio waves to ground relay stations. The relay stations then process the radio waves back into image data, which we download as the 'satellite images' we know. This process is affected by factors such as the distance between the satellite and the ground and the size of the data, but it usually takes at least 30 minutes and can take several hours.

The gap between the time satellites collect information and when we can directly use that information hinders the full commercialization of satellite services. However, if satellites can process the collected information in space through nearby satellites, store the data, and even analyze it with artificial intelligence (AI), then only the 'finished' data would be transmitted to the ground, dramatically reducing latency.

Risk of becoming the first step toward 'weaponization of space'

The missile tracking satellite constellation of the U.S. defense contractor Northrop Grumman is an example of applying space data center technology. [Image source=Northrop Grumman]

While space data centers are very useful, they also carry the risk of becoming a double-edged sword. There is a high possibility they could be used for military purposes. Advanced militaries such as the US and UK are already piloting the concept of 'space data centers' in their satellite surveillance assets.

For example, the US Space Development Agency (SDA) is developing a system where about 100 low Earth orbit surveillance satellites directly collect and analyze information about dangerous areas and relay it to allied forces.

A similar concept is the UK military's ?1.4 billion (approximately 2.4 trillion KRW) surveillance satellite project 'ISTARI,' which integrates onboard data processing functions into dozens of satellites and is being developed with the concept of quickly transmitting data to ground command centers via laser.

Due to latency issues, existing military satellite surveillance capabilities have been somewhat limited. If satellite images can only be updated every few hours, they become useless during rapidly changing situations. However, satellite surveillance technology supported by the processing power of space data centers can transmit full-color images with 0.5-meter resolution to soldiers. This means that all satellites orbiting Earth could potentially be perceived as 'threats.'

China's surface-to-air missiles. China and Russia are countries actively developing missile systems capable of intercepting satellites.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Some forces might use this as an excuse to accelerate the 'weaponization' of outer space. China and Russia are openly testing high-altitude missiles called 'ASAT (Anti-SATellite Weapons)' capable of destroying satellites. There is a risk that before the space economy can properly flourish, Earth's orbit could become engulfed in the horrors of war.