NASA administrator proposes moving data centers into space

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has proposed housing data centers in space, according to The Hill, amid growing public backlash over the facilities’ presence in the US. Isaacman said orbiting data centers could tap solar energy, which he called a “free fusion reactor,” to power operations while easing community concerns over rising electricity costs and environmental impact.

“Let’s take our data centers, put them in Earth orbit, take advantage of that free fusion reactor that’s out there for us and use that to ensure we do win the … space race for sure, but the (artificial intelligence) race, too,” Isaacman said in an interview with Nexstar DC’s Vinay Simot.

This is not his first pitch for the idea; he floated it in an August podcast appearance, citing Elon Musk’s similar interest. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has separately cautioned against state-level data center moratoriums, warning they could hurt America’s AI race against China.