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| Server-sats are ultralight disks of silicon that convert sunlight into computation and communications. Powered by a large solar cell, propelled and steered by light pressure, networked and located by microwaves, and cooled by radiation into deep space. Arrays of tens of thousands of server-sats act as highly redundant computation and database servers, as well as phased array antennas to reach thousands of transceivers on the ground. | Server-sats are ultralight films of glass that convert sunlight into computation and communications. Powered by a large solar cell, propelled and steered by light pressure, networked and located by microwaves, and cooled by radiation into deep space. Arrays of tens of thousands of server-sats act as highly redundant computation and database servers, as well as phased array antennas to reach thousands of transceivers on the ground. |
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| First generation server-sats are 20 centimeters across ( about 8 inches ) and 0.1 millimeters (100 microns) thick, and weigh 7 grams. They can be mass produced with off-the-shelf semiconductor technologies. Gallium arsenide radio chips provide intra-array, inter-array, and ground communication, as well as precise location information. Server-sats are launched stacked by the thousands in solid cylinders, shrouded and vibration isolated inside a traditional satellite bus. | First generation server-sats are 20 centimeters across ( about 8 inches ) and 0.1 millimeters (50 microns) thick, and weigh 3 grams. They can be mass produced with off-the-shelf semiconductor technologies. Gallium arsenide radio chips provide intra-array, inter-array, and ground communication, as well as precise location information. Server-sats are launched stacked by the thousands in solid cylinders, shrouded and vibration isolated inside a traditional satellite bus. |
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The goal is an energy and space launch growth path that follows Moore's Law, with the cost of energy and launch halving every two years. Server Sky may cost two to ten times as much as ground-based computation in 2015, but is may cost 100 times less in 2035. The computation growth driven by Moore's Law is smashing difficult problems from genetics to improved manufacture for semiconductors. If it can do the same for clean energy, we can get rid of the carbon fuel plants, undam the rivers, and reduce atmospheric CO2 far sooner than we had dared hope. Energy production systems based on bulk manufacturing, human construction assembly, and the use of terrestrial land, biological habitat, and surface water, packaged to survive weather and corrosion, cannot grow at the same rate as Moore's Law. |
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| * [[ Events2010 | Events ]] . . . recent [[ http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1431656 | video ]] of a presentation at [[ http://linuxfestnorthwest.org/ | Linuxfest Northwest ]] . . . a [[ http://server-sky.com/slides/amsat01/aaaaa.html | web-based slide show ]] . . . [[ http://server-sky.com/slides/serversky.pdf | paper ]] | * [[ Events2010 | Events ]] . . . recent [[ http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1431656 | video ]] of a presentation at [[ http://linuxfestnorthwest.org/ | Linuxfest Northwest ]] . . . a [[ http://server-sky.com/slides/amsat01/aaaaa.html | web-based slide show ]] . . . [[ http://server-sky.com/slides/serversky.pdf | paper ]] . . . [[ http://server-sky.com/slides/onepager.pdf | one page writeup ]] * [[ http://launchloop.com | The Launch Loop ]], a speculative space launch system useful for launching Server Sky. |
Server Sky - internet and computation in orbit
It is easier to move bits than atoms or energy.
Server-sats are ultralight films of glass that convert sunlight into computation and communications. Powered by a large solar cell, propelled and steered by light pressure, networked and located by microwaves, and cooled by radiation into deep space. Arrays of tens of thousands of server-sats act as highly redundant computation and database servers, as well as phased array antennas to reach thousands of transceivers on the ground.
First generation server-sats are 20 centimeters across ( about 8 inches ) and 0.1 millimeters (50 microns) thick, and weigh 3 grams. They can be mass produced with off-the-shelf semiconductor technologies. Gallium arsenide radio chips provide intra-array, inter-array, and ground communication, as well as precise location information. Server-sats are launched stacked by the thousands in solid cylinders, shrouded and vibration isolated inside a traditional satellite bus.
Traditional data centers consume almost 3% of US electrical power, and this fraction is growing rapidly. Server arrays in orbit can grow to virtually unlimited computation power, communicate with the whole world, pay for themselves with electricity savings, and greatly reduce pollution and resource usage in the biosphere.
The goal is an energy and space launch growth path that follows Moore's Law, with the cost of energy and launch halving every two years. Server Sky may cost two to ten times as much as ground-based computation in 2015, but is may cost 100 times less in 2035. The computation growth driven by Moore's Law is smashing difficult problems from genetics to improved manufacture for semiconductors. If it can do the same for clean energy, we can get rid of the carbon fuel plants, undam the rivers, and reduce atmospheric CO2 far sooner than we had dared hope. Energy production systems based on bulk manufacturing, human construction assembly, and the use of terrestrial land, biological habitat, and surface water, packaged to survive weather and corrosion, cannot grow at the same rate as Moore's Law.
Server Sky is speculative. The most likely technical showstopper is radiation damage. The most likely practical showstopper is misunderstanding. Working together, we can fix the latter.
Radios for communication, interconnect, synchronization, radar, and orientation
The Space Environment - Radiation, Drag, Collisions, Erosion
Future Possibilities - low cost launch, terascale arrays, beam power to Earth, scientific sensors
Participate . . . . Mailing List Signup
Events . . . recent video of a presentation at Linuxfest Northwest . . . a web-based slide show . . . paper . . . one page writeup
The Launch Loop, a speculative space launch system useful for launching Server Sky.
This website is under construction - many of the sections need filling in. If you want to improve spelling, add expertise, etc... sign up for the wiki and go to it. If you add spam or nonsense, I will revert the page, or move the content elsewhere.