Prof. Sam LawlerFeb 5

Well, everyone, you can now submit a comment to let the FCC know what you think about SpaceX asking for 1 million satellites for "AI datacenters" whatever the fuck that means.

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-113A1.pdf

Comments due March 6.

I am having a very hard time believing this is really happening. Fuck you, SpaceX, and fuck you, FCC. This is not regulation, this is a fucking joke, that will destroy our ability to use satellites for centuries.

Show thread Kiri Feb 5
@sundogplanets How would a data center event work in outer space? Heat would build up. Unless I'm missing something and the idea is to have something super worse than regular DCs down here?
Show threadAwk & sha

@kiri @sundogplanets you’re not missing anything; this is absolutely the problem with data centers, structures famously constrained by their ability to reject heat, in space, a place famous for its insulative properties. It’s stupid.

Not to mention that data centers require maintenance and equipment replacement. This aspect of data centers is why companies decided not to put them in the ocean (where heat would be easier to reject). How do they think they’ll do maintenance? Or do the satellites just become trash after a few years?

Feb 5 at 3:03amWeb
Show threadsix_grandfathers_mountainFeb 5

@mmcknett @kiri
RE
constrained..reject heat, in space.. It’s stupid...
data centers require maintenance and equipment replacement

@sundogplanets
RE
fucking joke, that will destroy our ability to use #satellites for centuries

Anything #SpaceX wants is probably crap bc #ElonMusk is the guy driving the bus

And another way to destroy the use of space satellite tech is to have #WW3 which is what will only make big tech richer, 🥵

@nomdeb
Thx 4 orig Prof. Sam boost

Show threadDaniel GibsonFeb 5

@mmcknett @kiri @sundogplanets
There's also the problem that computers running in space must be more resistant to radiation than the ones we use down here.
The chips used there are different (and slower), use bigger semiconductor scale.

AFAIK this just can't work, even aside from the issue of having a million additional satellites...

(see https://taranis.ie/datacenters-in-space-are-a-terrible-horrible-no-good-idea/)

Datacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea.

There is a rush for AI companies to team up with space launch/satellite companies to build datacenters in space. TL;DR: It's not going to work.

Taranis
Show threadAwk & shaFeb 5
@Doomed_Daniel oh yeah, I can’t believe I forgot they have to be radiation-hardened, too!
Show threadConny NaschFeb 5
@Doomed_Daniel @mmcknett @kiri @sundogplanets The voice of reason was noted in the comments to this very clarifying article. I am an artist/painter and not engineer, (my father and partner are), I am fascinated by engineering and science though. Thank you for this super perspective on the subject I watched last night on 3Sat "Nano", which chilled me to the bone.
Show threadSammiFeb 5
@kiri @sundogplanets @mmcknett Surely that is the point of doing it, they will break and he has to launch more to fill that gap. It ensures continual launches and hence profits
Show threadEliza MBFeb 5

@mmcknett @kiri @sundogplanets

I suspect Musk knows this won't work. He doesn't care so long as more naive investors throw money at him.