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Orbital has set April 2027 as the launch date for Orbital 1, a project that could push computing beyond Earth. The mission will send a satellite equipped with AI computing systems into the lower Earth orbit to determine whether data can be processed in space.
The announcement comes at a time when demand for AI integration across industries continues to grow. Companies around the world are building larger data centers to handle that demand. Orbital believes there may be another option in the future: putting some of that computing power in orbit.
Orbital 1 is expected to launch in April 2027 and will act as a test mission. The goal is simple: find out whether AI workloads can be handled by systems operating in space. Supporters of the idea believe space-based data centers could reduce pressure on land, electricity networks, and cooling systems that large facilities on Earth require.
Recently, the project has received funding from a16z speedrun, and the General Partner of the company, Andrew Chen, has mentioned, “Speedrun backs founders to explore ambitious ideas; the harder the problem, the better. Orbital is taking on AI’s biggest constraint with a bold and radical idea.” Still, the mission faces several hurdles. Sending powerful computing hardware into orbit is expensive. Space is also a much harsher environment than a traditional data center.
The project has also sparked discussion because of the growing role of private space companies. Reports suggest SpaceX could be involved in future orbital computing missions. During pre-IPO investor presentations, SpaceX executives have announced a roadmap to launch Orbital’s computing to space in 2027, rather than “as early as 2028.” According to reports, Orbital’s compute push made SpaceX's IPO one of the largest, with 555 million shares priced at $135, targeting a valuation of roughly $1.77 trillion.
The idea sounds exciting: putting a data center on space, but there are practical concerns. Building a normal data center already costs a lot of money. Launching equipment into space adds another layer of expense. Every server and processor must survive the journey and continue working once in orbit.
Repairs are another challenge. If something breaks in a ground-based data center, technicians can fix it. In space, that becomes much harder. Replacing old hardware could also be costly. Instead of swapping parts, companies may need to launch entirely new satellites.
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Years ago, cloud computing changed how people stored data and used software. Today, many businesses rely on cloud services. Orbital's plan points to what could be the next step. As AI systems require more computing power, companies are looking for new ways to handle the demand.
Space may eventually become one of those options. There are still many technical and financial challenges to overcome, but Orbital 1 will provide an early look at what is possible. The mission may not change the industry overnight. Still, it could be the first step toward a future where some of the world's data is processed far above Earth.
