Facing the growing contradiction between Earth's tightening energy supply and the demand for AI computing power, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has proposed a highly sci-fi solution: moving AI data centers to space and using the Moon as a launch base.

Musk envisions building a massive electromagnetic catapult and satellite assembly factory on the Moon. Due to the Moon's low gravity, lack of atmospheric resistance, and abundant solar energy resources, launching satellites into Earth orbit via electromagnetic catapult would be far more efficient than traditional rocket launches from the ground. More importantly, this method can effectively avoid the current crowded near-Earth orbital debris, providing space for large-scale deployment.

According to AIbase, Musk believes that within the next 30 to 36 months, due to Earth's power system being unable to support the exponential growth of AI infrastructure, deploying data centers in space will become the most economically viable choice. The space environment offers an endless supply of solar energy, and once the energy consumption issue is solved, the only remaining constraint for AI development will be chip production capacity.

Currently, this grand plan is steadily progressing. SpaceX has recently applied to relevant authorities for a single launch of up to 1 million satellites, aiming to build a "orbital data center" network with unprecedented computing power. In addition, by acquiring its own AI company xAI, SpaceX is accelerating the integration of computing resources and aerospace technology. Musk revealed that this space-based data center is expected to become a reality within the next two or three years, at which point it will provide global computing power support for advanced AI models.