Scientists propose carbon-neutral data center in space

Out-of-this-world idea: Setting up data centers in space could pave the way to sustainable computing with unlimited solar energy and free cooling, say scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore). Their research shows how satellites equipped with advanced processors can harness the unlimited solar energy and cold vacuum of space to power a greener, digital future.

Researchers have outlined a practical path to building carbon-neutral data centers in low Earth orbit (LEO). This concept is particularly relevant in land-scarce cities like Singapore, where limited land and high real estate costs make traditional data centers increasingly expensive. The study was published in the journal Nature Electronics.

The new paper, led by Alibaba-NTU’s Provost Chair in Computer Science and Engineering and NTU Associate Professor (Graduate Education) Professor Tsuyoshi Bun Yong, argues that space has two unique environmental advantages: virtually unlimited solar energy and natural radiative cooling made possible by extremely low temperatures.

When these conditions are combined, orbital data centers have the potential to operate with virtually zero carbon emissions. Timing is critical, as demand for AI-driven computing is predicted to increase by 165% by 2030.

In Singapore, data centers already account for about 7% of the country’s electricity usage, and this figure is expected to reach 12% by 2030.

“Space provides a truly sustainable environment for computing. If we want to build a better future for humanity, we must dream boldly and think outside the box,” said Professor Wen, who also serves as dean of the Graduate School and is a faculty member in the Department of Computing and Data Science.

“By harnessing the sun’s energy and the cold vacuum of space, orbital data centers have the potential to transform global computing. Our goal is to turn space into a renewable resource for humanity and expand AI capabilities without increasing carbon emissions or straining Earth’s limited land and energy resources,” explains Professor Wen, a serial innovator who first invented and demonstrated multi-screen casting technology in 2013. Professor Wen is currently widely used in computers, tablets, mobile phones and TVs.

Harnessing astrophysics for sustainability

Unlike data centers on Earth, which struggle with cooling and power demands, especially in dense urban environments where both energy and land are limited, space facilities can rely entirely on sunlight for power and dissipate heat directly into deep space, where the average temperature is 2.7 Kelvin (-270.45°C).

This makes space an ideal environment for high-performance computing. Low Earth orbit (LEO) is located approximately 160 to 2,000 kilometers above the Earth and provides a cost-effective altitude that is already used by many commercial satellite systems.

The team proposed two models in which this concept could work.

Orbital Edge Data Centers – Imaging or sensing satellites equipped with AI accelerators can process raw data directly in orbit and send only the processed critical information back to Earth. This approach reduces data transmission by more than a factor of 100, significantly reducing energy consumption and latency. Orbital cloud data centers – constellations of satellites equipped with servers, broadband links, solar panels, and radiant coolers that can collectively perform complex computing tasks, from scientific simulations to training AI models.

The researchers noted that, rather than building a single large-scale facility in space, these distributed constellations are technically feasible with today’s advances in satellites and computing, and could be scaled up over time.

To test the carbon-neutral potential of such systems, the team collaborated with Red Dot Analytics, a spin-off of the NTU Deep Tech division co-founded by Professor Wen, to develop a digital twin model of a space-based data center.

Their virtual model simulated expected power consumption, cooling, and solar energy production and showed that the cold vacuum of space allows heat to be dissipated more efficiently than on Earth.

Land shortage and rising data center construction costs

The study notes that land and energy constraints make data centers expensive in cities like Singapore, making it the second most expensive market for such facilities in the world, with costs averaging US$13.80 per watt of IT load, or about US$11.7 million per megawatt.

High land prices, infrastructure costs, and limited power supplies limit physical expansion, driving renewed interest in sustainable and space-efficient alternatives.

In contrast, the orbital data center model avoids these constraints, requiring no physical land or minimal cooling infrastructure, and offering global scalability without geographic limitations.

Life cycle sustainability and technical readiness

Although rocket launches remain carbon-intensive, the NTU study introduces a new metric called lifecycle carbon use efficiency (CUE), which shows that solar-powered orbital data centers can offset launch emissions within a few years of operation.

Advances in reusable rockets, electric slingshot launchers, radiation-hardened electronics, space-certified chips, and more are also accelerating.

Companies such as AMD are already developing space-grade processors, and NTU’s deep technology spinoff Zero Error Systems offers fault-tolerant semiconductor technology that allows consumer hardware to operate reliably in space.

NTU Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Entrepreneurship) Professor Lewis Fee said the research reflects the innovative spirit NTU fosters in its students and scientists.

“Tackling humanity’s greatest challenges requires creative, interdisciplinary researchers working in partnership with entrepreneurs,” Professor Fee said.

“Over the past decade, NTU has built a strong foundation of patents and technology spin-offs, positioning us to capitalize on emerging trends such as sustainable computing and the space economy. These initiatives are opening up new markets for Singapore and strengthening our leadership in sustainability and advanced computing.”