Deadline for comments on a million SpaceX "AI data centers" and a company that wants to deliver "sunlight as a service."

[argv_minus_one@mastodon.sdf.org]

@sundogplanets

What is SpaceX even actually trying to do? Because putting AI data centers in space obviously isn't it.

Space is a vacuum. There's no heat-absorbing medium (air, water, etc) to use for cooling. Put a data center's worth of AI computers into a large space station, and the whole thing will burn itself to a crisp in short order.

Spacecraft use slow, simple computers for a reason. Several, actually, but one of them is that they don't use much power and don't make much heat.

[argv_minus_one@mastodon.sdf.org]

@sundogplanets

Another of the aforementioned reasons is that there's a lot of bit-flipping cosmic rays out there. Your fancy NVIDIA AI chip isn't gonna work too well with no atmosphere protecting its delicate nanoscopic circuitry from all those high-energy particles.

Tl;dr: physics says no.

So either SpaceX somehow aren't aware of all this, or they've got something else in mind for all those space stations.

[glasspusher@beige.party]

@argv_minus_one @sundogplanets they’re using the announcement to raise money/keep ahead of the joneses in the ai space

He’s already backtracked on mars…

[12thrits@mstdn.social]

@sundogplanets Sunlight as a̶ ̶s̶e̶r̶v̶i̶c̶e̶ environmental menace.

[idahobucks@mastodon.social]

@sundogplanets another Elon scam to grab billionaires from our government. The US is so stupid

[smashedratonpress@mastodon.sdf.org]

@sundogplanets Thanks for providing templates and detailed instructions. Worked great, thanks. I filed comments on both of this insane proposals.

[lcruggeri@mastodon.uno]

@sundogplanets I envise a dystopian final, destroy the day while giving solar light only to those who pay. Night or day, just pay

The others will be at dusk or with no light 24h/24

[argv_minus_one@mastodon.sdf.org]

@glasspusher

Aw, c'mon, where's the villainy in that? You can't put a bunch of space stations into orbit without hiding giant lasers in them or something.

@sundogplanets

[jeffmcneill@hachyderm.io]

@sundogplanets @artfulrobot Science fiction is writing itself...

[w6kme@mastodon.radio]

@sundogplanets Just a reminder to all my Amateur Radio friends...

The bar for making comments has been set unfairly high, since it requires a CORES account. But we all have this account already, since it's a requirement for a ham radio license. So we are in a far better position than most of the public to comment.

It's up to us to comment for the millions of people denied the opportunity. Don't pass this chance up!

#hamradio #amateurradio

[tryst@fedi.imu.li]

@lispi314@udongein.xyz pretty sure the heat from conversion losses on the satellite destroy that idea too. even a 15% loss is disastrous for that much power in a vacuum.

[christophwendel@blueplanet.social]

@sundogplanets You may consider signing the #A4E statement on Proposed Large Satellite Constellations: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnBbw-dATjyHVovhoDTtl_VYKWZTs7T8ZbF9sC7oRdDILrEw/viewform

#AstronomersForPlanetEarth

[sundogplanets@mastodon.social]

I helped write and edit comments that were submitted by multiple organizations that I'm a member of about SpaceX's fucking stupid awful million sat filing, but I haven't submitted my own yet. After a week of emotionally grueling (but incredibly important) work supporting a good friend, battling the FCC submission process doesn't sound so bad anymore!

[gwozniak@discuss.systems]

@sundogplanets For what it's worth, I've submitted mine.

I don't have anything of substance to add except "this sucks", basically, but I'm sending the comment anyway.

[legit_spaghetti@mastodo.neoliber.al]

@sundogplanets Can we somehow rope your goats into leaving their comments as well? I get the sense they'd have much more reasonable and nuanced thoughts than the average SpaceX supporter.

[sundogplanets@mastodon.social]

Ok well another Starlink just reentered over Canada. So yeah. Definitely writing this now.

Time to live-toot an FCC submission while completely exhausted, but also watching a pleasant anime with friends and family!

[sundogplanets@mastodon.social]

Step 1: make a pdf. I think I'm going to mash together these two articles that I co-authored in the last couple weeks about very stupid things happening in orbit with huge consequences.

Too many satellites? Earth’s orbit is on track for a catastrophe – but we can stop it

Cultural, spiritual, and most environmental impacts aren’t taken into account when launching thousands of satellites.

The Conversation (theconversation.com)

A new space race could turn our atmosphere into a ‘crematorium for satellites’

Planned ‘megaconstellations’ of satellites could cause unforeseen harm to the ozone layer and climate systems. Global regulation is needed before it’s too late.

The Conversation (theconversation.com)

Unfortunately this'll require a bit of work because the different ways of doing citations. Or maybe I'll just leave the links in? I am pretty far beyond caring about formatting.

[randulo@mastodon.social]

@sundogplanets years ago, I read a SF story about the population permanently stressed because at night the saw the ICBM constantly moving like fireflies.

[sundogplanets@mastodon.social]

Ok that took a little longer than I thought. Do I want it to be on letterhead? Will my university be annoyed? I *am* writing as part of my job as a researcher who requires access to dark skies, but I am not writing on behalf of my university. Will go with blank background for this one.

Now working my way through the instructions here: https://aas.org/posts/advocacy/2026/02/how-submit-comments-satellite-applications-fcc

I already have a Cores account, signed in and clicking on things...

[alterelefant@mastodontech.de]

@12thRITS
A Sunlight Service, I think it's ASS.
@sundogplanets