Data Centers IN SPACE | Philip Johnston, Starcloud CEO

An episode of the Thinking On Paper podcast, hosted by Mark Fielding and Jeremy Gilbertson, titled "Data Centers IN SPACE | Philip Johnston, Starcloud CEO " was published on February 26, 2025 and runs 42 minutes.

February 26, 2025 ·42m · Thinking On Paper

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Summary

Philip Johnston, co-founder of StarCloud, is building data centers in space. Forty-megawatt GPUS that unfold in orbit, bleed heat into the vacuum, and link back to Earth with lasers that outpace fiber. Thanks to Space-X, launch costs are decreasing rapidly, allowing small and agile technology startups like Starcloud to send their tech into lower earth orbit at a fraction of the cost it once did. Predictions put the future cost of launch as low as ten dollars a kilo. At such a price, space manufacturing can really 'take off'. Philip joins Mark and Jeremy to Think on Paper about the hardware Starcloud is launching into space this year. There will be no water - space radiators cool the GPUs without water. They ask how StarCloud’s latency beats transatlantic cables on key routes and learn why orbital compute could slash the AI power bill Real-time compute from orbit. Unlimited power. Permanent sunshine.The cloud is moving up.Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend. --Chapters(00:00) The impact of earth based compute(03:09) Data centers in space(08:36) Conquering Latency Challenges in Space(10:32) Modular Space Infrastructure(16:03) How much do space based data centers cost? (19:46) Manufacturing Beyond Earth's Boundaries(26:00) Reusability and space junk(26:15) GPUs in Orbit(28:52) Future Tech Rapid-Fire Questions(29:55) 5 Billion Humanoids(32:35) Addressing Space Skepticism(33:41) Quantum Computing's Orbital AdvantageThe Humanoid Difference(37:20) Where Are All the Aliens? Exploring the Fermi Paradox(38:35) Behind the Scenes-- Other ways to connect with us:⁠Listen to every podcast⁠Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠Follow us on ⁠X⁠Follow Mark on ⁠LinkedIn⁠Follow Jeremy on ⁠LinkedIn⁠Read our ⁠Substack⁠Email: [email protected]

Episode Description

Philip Johnston, co-founder of StarCloud, is building data centers in space. Forty-megawatt GPUS that unfold in orbit, bleed heat into the vacuum, and link back to Earth with lasers that outpace fiber.

Thanks to Space-X, launch costs are decreasing rapidly, allowing small and agile technology startups like Starcloud to send their tech into lower earth orbit at a fraction of the cost it once did. Predictions put the future cost of launch as low as ten dollars a kilo. At such a price, space manufacturing can really 'take off'.

Philip joins Mark and Jeremy to Think on Paper about the hardware Starcloud is launching into space this year. There will be no water - space radiators cool the GPUs without water. They ask how StarCloud’s latency beats transatlantic cables on key routes and learn why orbital compute could slash the AI power bill

Real-time compute from orbit. Unlimited power. Permanent sunshine.
The cloud is moving up.

Please enjoy the show. And share with a curious friend.

Chapters

(00:00) The impact of earth based compute

(03:09) Data centers in space

(08:36) Conquering Latency Challenges in Space

(10:32) Modular Space Infrastructure

(16:03) How much do space based data centers cost?

(19:46) Manufacturing Beyond Earth's Boundaries

(26:00) Reusability and space junk

(26:15) GPUs in Orbit

(28:52) Future Tech Rapid-Fire Questions