Thread

Google’s Project Suncatcher to put ML infrastructure in space

233 points · 553 comments · xnx

fwlr · 1790297624 · focus · HN ↗
Yes, the physics are worse, and yes, the economics are worse, but data centers in space have the crucial advantage that they are out of range of the molotov-throwing arm of Joe Public (recently unemployed).
1. rzerowan · 1790324612 · focus · HN ↗
  Similarly to Starlink , which was hyped as a low codt alternative for marginalised people/areas and sucked in enormous subsidies to that end. While being more or less a proof of concept for a military command and control network , thats the same way this should be looked at.Especially with data centers being vulnerable on ground, coupled with the ability to reposition the space based units to be 'closer to the action' as it were.
  So bottom line a proof of concept for DARPA funds and eventual inegration into the military command and control nodes.
  1. ralfd · 1790343448 · focus · HN ↗
    > and sucked in enormous subsidies to that end.
    Starlink didn't get any subsidies. There were reports in summer about them potentially getting 600 Mio (btw the broadband program is 40 billion heavy) and I can't find sources that SpaceX got any program founding yet.
    ceejayoz · 1790365137 · focus · HN ↗
    > Starlink didn't get any subsidies.
    If you don't count the launcher it rides on, and the company that owns both.
    TMWNN · 1790365794 · focus · HN ↗
    Feel free to name the subsidies SpaceX received.
    (No, "payment to launch this satellite" != "subsidy".)
    ceejayoz · 1790366180 · focus · HN ↗
    <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2025/elon-musk-business-government-contracts-funding/" rel="nofollow">https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2025/e...
    You're correct that "we'll pay you to launch this satellite" isn't a subsidy. But "we'll pay you to develop this satellite launcher, and this cargo capsule, and this crew capsule, with the explicit goal of kickstarting a new launch provider" is.
    Things like the EV tax credit also apply, considering Musk has leveraged his Tesla holdings to help SpaceX at times.
    And to be clear: this was a very good use of public funds, whatever I think of Musk these days.
    qlte · 1790367664 · focus · HN ↗
    Exactly, in retrospect it's easy to confuse with a regular commercial transaction that happens to be with the government. But only because SpaceX was ultimately wildly successful with the Falcon 9/Dragon/Crew Dragon.
    If SpaceX failed to deliver a working product after a receiving a bunch of incremental payments for the pre-delivery milestones (deliberately structured to prop up their early R&D), it might have ended up front and center as an example of government "picking winners and losers" gone wrong like how Solyndra was featured at the 2012 RNC.

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