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Google’s Project Suncatcher to put ML infrastructure in space

233 points · 553 comments · xnx

zactato · 1790267254 · focus · HN ↗
How are they solving the heat dissipation issues?
1. GMoromisato · 1790270501 · focus · HN ↗
  Please stop with this argument. This is one of the easiest problems to solve. Heat dissipation requires a radiator, which is just a dumb hunk of metal. All you need is a cheap way to launch mass to orbit, which is exactly what SpaceX (and Chinese companies) are doing.
  The only valid argument against data centers in space is the economic cost. If the per megatoken price for space datacenters is higher than terrestrial, then this won't work.
  But the price for terrestrial datacenters keeps going up and technology keeps dropping the price of space-based.
  1. teaearlgraycold · 1790272921 · focus · HN ↗
    It will never be cheaper to put compute into orbit. And costs for AI are dropping like a rock here on Earth.
    GMoromisato · 1790277907 · focus · HN ↗
    Never is a long time and you're relying on a bunch of unknowns like the cost of launch to orbit in 2030 and the future regulatory environment here on earth.
    If you know all that out to 2040 then you must be a time traveler. Please try to fix our timeline rather than wasting time on HN.
    teaearlgraycold · 1790278962 · focus · HN ↗
    You’re right. Why am I wasting time on here?
    GMoromisato · 1790295359 · focus · HN ↗
    You're smarter than me on that point. I got sucked into the argument and ended up wasting a couple of hours. I'm an idiot.
    sourcecodeplz · 1790320860 · focus · HN ↗
    no you didnt, i read most of your comments in this thread. very valuable even if little optimistic.
    >> The current plan is for 250 kW peak with 160 m^2 radiators. It will weigh about 4 tons so you can pack 25 on one flight of Starship.
    >> Deploy 4,000 and you're at 1 GW. That's 160 launches.

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