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.

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.

• Server-sat Detailed Description

• Solar Sail Propulsion and Navigation

• Deployment orbits

• Launching Server-sats from Earth

• Radios for communication, interconnect, synchronization, radar, and orientation

• The Space Environment - Radiation, Drag, Collisions, Erosion

• Manufacturing Server-sats

• Biological and Environmental Effects

• Future Possibilities - low cost launch, terascale arrays, beam power to Earth, scientific sensors

• Criticism

• Contact Us

• 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.

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