Jim Chanos warned that launching datacenters into orbit would add costs far beyond the current $600,000 per MW annual electricity rates for AI facilities. He cited additional expenses for launch, radiation shielding, insurance and system redundancy and urged industry promoters to provide detailed cost and savings analyses.

Investor Michael Burry suggested a $1 trillion nuclear power and grid expansion plan to meet rising AI compute demands. He argued that new nuclear facilities could offer reliable, lower-cost energy compared with orbital deployments and highlighted potential benefits for independent power producers.

The FCC has requested SpaceX respond to applications for deploying a network of over one million non-geostationary satellites at altitudes of 500 to 2,000 km. The company has sought waivers to support orbital datacenter operations and must address spectrum usage and orbital debris concerns.

SpaceX is preparing a mid-2026 initial public offering that could value the firm between $1.25 trillion and $1.5 trillion and raise up to $50 billion. The IPO follows its all-stock acquisition of xAI and combines rocket launch, Starlink broadband and AI computing units, though it faces regulatory and integration challenges.