A Washington startup says the subsequent frontier in computing, and maybe Bitcoin mining, might orbit a whole bunch of miles above Earth.
Bitcoin mining goes to house as Starcloud prepares to launch Starcloud 2 satellite tv for pc
Redmond-based house know-how and synthetic intelligence (AI) infrastructure firm StarCloud is transferring ahead with plans to find an information heart in low Earth orbit, a plan that goals to harness the continual photo voltaic power and pure cooling properties of house, whereas additionally hinting at the potential for mining Bitcoin exterior of Earth’s ambiance, PCMag stories.
The corporate launched StarCloud 1 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in November 2025, proving its idea for the primary time. For the primary time, a small satellite tv for pc the scale of a fridge is provided with 5 Nvidia H100 processors>
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The corporate is presently getting ready a bigger monitoring satellite tv for pc. CEO Philip Johnston stated Starcloud-2, scheduled to launch in late 2026, will function a a lot bigger cluster of GPUs, together with specialised Bitcoin mining {hardware} often known as ASICs (Software-Particular Built-in Circuits).
“There’s additionally Bitcoin mining… we’re planning to have a Bitcoin mining ASIC within the second gadget that launches later this yr,” Johnston stated in an interview with PCMag. “We expect we will be the primary to mine cash in house.”
This idea is predicated on two benefits distinctive to orbit. Satellites situated in sun-synchronous orbits can obtain near-constant daylight, eliminating a lot of the night time cycles and climate disturbances that have an effect on solar energy technology on Earth. On the similar time, the vacuum of house would act as a large warmth sink, permitting radiators to launch waste warmth immediately into house with out using water-intensive cooling techniques.
Starcloud claims that this case has the potential to considerably cut back power prices. The corporate estimates that orbital information facilities can function at roughly one-tenth decrease power prices than conventional services, whereas lowering lifetime carbon emissions as properly.
To assist that imaginative and prescient, the startup has filed paperwork with the Federal Communications Fee (FCC) searching for approval for a constellation of 88,000 satellites devoted to orbital computing infrastructure. Johnston outlined a long-term purpose of constructing a 5-gigawatt orbital information heart supported by an enormous photo voltaic array spanning a number of kilometers.
Bitcoin mining is framed as an early check case for the power mannequin. Mining {hardware} is less expensive than high-end AI processors and may monetize surplus energy generated by photo voltaic arrays in orbit.
ASIC mining machines usually price a whole bunch to hundreds of {dollars} every, in comparison with tens of hundreds of {dollars} for superior AI GPUs. Mining primarily converts electrical energy into cryptographic calculations, making it a pure match for extraterrestrial energy technology because of the regular availability of photo voltaic power.
The thought of mining Bitcoin in house has been circulating for years, however StarCloud’s plan is without doubt one of the first publicly disclosed {hardware} deployments geared toward proving the idea. One other startup, Intercosmic Power, has proposed a roadmap for a solar-powered orbital mining system, however has not but begun working the {hardware}.
Declining launch prices have revived curiosity within the idea. Trendy rockets are steadily lowering the price per kilogram of payload they carry into orbit, making it extra sensible to deploy computing {hardware} and enormous photo voltaic arrays on Earth.
On the similar time, the effectivity beneficial properties in mining {hardware} are slowing down in comparison with earlier than. Longer alternative cycles imply ASICs will be saved in use for longer durations of time, probably enhancing the economics of working in house.
Regardless of the joy, this method faces main hurdles. Area {hardware} should additionally stand up to publicity to radiation, temperature fluctuations, and potential collisions with particles. Satellite tv for pc reliability additionally stays a priority, with certainly one of Starcloud-1’s GPUs reportedly failing earlier than launch.
Regulators and environmental teams are additionally watching carefully. Massive constellations elevate questions on orbital crowding and the danger of cascading particles occasions, generally known as Kessler syndrome.
Even throughout the know-how trade, there stays skepticism about its near-term feasibility. Critics argue that sustaining high-performance computing techniques in orbit might pose logistical challenges that outweigh the power advantages, not less than initially.
Nonetheless, curiosity in orbital computing is rising quickly. Corporations like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Axiom Area have all outlined plans for orbital infrastructure that may assist computing workloads.
Market predictions recommend that orbital title=”Study Bitcoin Mining” goal=”_blank”>Bitcoin mining is an illustration, not a vacation spot. By operating ASICs in parallel with AI {hardware}, the corporate hopes to show that everlasting on-orbit solar energy can assist each rising AI workloads and energy-intensive cryptographic operations.
If the StarCloud 2 mission is profitable later this yr, the primary Bitcoin mined in house might arrive before most anticipated, marking one other milestone on the rising intersection of house know-how and digital infrastructure.
Often requested questions 🛰️
- What’s Starcloud?Starcloud is a Washington-based startup that makes use of photo voltaic power to develop information facilities in low Earth orbit.
- Does Bitcoin mining really happen in house?StarCloud says its StarCloud 2 satellite tv for pc, scheduled to launch in 2026, might be geared up with ASIC {hardware} designed to mine Bitcoin.
- Why mine Bitcoin in house?With fixed photo voltaic power and vacuum cooling, orbital computing may very well be less expensive and extra power environment friendly.
- When will the primary Bitcoin be mined in orbit?If the StarCloud 2 mission is profitable, the primary space-mined Bitcoin may very well be created as early as the top of 2026.
