Modular data centers for AI to be created in space

An architecture for large orbital modular data centers designed for AI and high-performance computing has been patented in the US. This new technology aims to bypass the limitations of traditional energy grids on Earth and utilize unlimited solar energy in space, Ixbt.com reports .

According to ixbt.com, the patent was obtained by Sophia Space and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This project was formed based on Caltech's Space-based Solar Power Project initiative, which researches space-based solar energy collection technologies.

Passive cooling system for space servers

The most key unique feature of the project is the passive cooling method for computing modules. The new architecture makes it possible to completely abandon traditional pumps, pipes, and complex liquid heat dissipation systems.

Engineers propose using independent modules named TILE. Each such module is equipped with four processors, receives power from solar cells on the sun-facing side, and radiates heat directly into the cold vacuum of space through the opposite surface.

Expansion capabilities and future plans

Communication between modules is carried out exclusively through fiber-optic data transmission lines, without shared power and heat exchange lines. This significantly simplifies the process of expanding orbital computing systems.

Sophia Space founder Leon Alkalai emphasized that after a sharp increase in demand for computing power for AI systems, the idea of orbital data centers has acquired a completely new significance. The main engineering task here was the efficient cooling of equipment.

The company plans to conduct the first test of the technology in 2027 on the Apex Nova satellite platform. It is also envisaged to commercially release the modules in 2028 and start testing a full-fledged orbital constellation of 4–6 devices in 2029–2030.

For reference, Sophia Space, founded in 2023 by a former technical manager of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has attracted $22 million in investment so far. Meanwhile, Caltech will continue joint research on lightweight, deployable structures and thermoregulation systems for future orbital data centers.