- SpaceX is planning a massive factory dedicated to producing AI satellites.
- New AI1 spacecraft could bring computing power directly into orbit.
- Musk wants orbital computing capacity measured in gigawatts annually.
SpaceX has unveiled plans for a massive manufacturing complex in Bastrop, Texas, which could become central to its ambitions for space-based AI infrastructure.
The proposed Gigasat facility would cover about 11 million square feet and focus on producing satellites designed to act as data centers in orbit.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claims the Bastrop facility will manufacture much of the hardware required for a new generation of AI satellites.
SpaceX factory dedicated to orbital AI infrastructure
The site will include production lines for solar components, printed circuit boards, electronic systems, communication equipment and the satellites themselves.
SpaceX also plans to include testing facilities, logistics infrastructure, storage capacity and dedicated development areas across the facility.
At the center of the project is a new spacecraft known as AI1, which the company intends to mass-produce as a space-based computing platform.
Musk said each satellite would carry a calculated payload capable of providing ~150 kW of processing capacity while relying on extensive solar arrays for power generation.
The satellite is also expected to span about 70 meters in length, with solar panels generating power at a density of approximately 250 watts per square meter. square meters.
Its design also incorporates large radiator structures intended to handle the significant heat generated by embedded computer systems.
SpaceX expects on-site solar production activities to begin first, while construction of the primary satellite production building is planned to follow.
The company believes the facility could begin producing a significant number of AI satellites by the end of 2027.
To reach the stated goal of 1GW annual orbital AI computing capacity would require the deployment of thousands of satellites operating collectively in orbit.
“This is what we’re going to try to do and think we can probably do, which is to get to an annual rate of one gigawatt a year by the end of next year,” Musk said while discussing the company’s goals.
Ambitious growth plans
The long-term vision extends far beyond the original 1GW target, and Musk has outlined ambitions to increase production in subsequent years to reach tens of gigawatts.
He also discussed the possibility of achieving even larger scales if future technological developments support such expansion.
These ambitions emerge as major tech companies continue to invest heavily in conventional AI facilities.
Meta’s planned Hyperion data center in Louisiana is expected to scale to 5GW and house around 2 million GPUs.
Similarly, xAI’s Colossus 2 facility in Memphis has expanded to nearly 2GW with approximately 555,000 GPUs.
Some of the largest projects announced require enormous electrical capacity and investments ranging from tens of billions to more than $100 billion in infrastructure.
Against this background, orbital data centers are increasingly attracting attention as a possible alternative approach to support future computational demand.
SpaceX may have certain advantages because many technologies required for large-scale satellite production already exist within its broader operations.
Much of that experience comes from the company’s extensive work designing, manufacturing and deploying Starlink spacecraft over several years.
Production of solar panels, satellite structures, communications hardware, and related systems relies heavily on established aerospace manufacturing processes.
The Gigasat facility is also expected to be more than 10 times larger than the Starfactory, currently SpaceX’s largest spacecraft manufacturing complex.
These requirements differ significantly from advanced semiconductor fabrication, making some aspects of the project more achievable within the proposed timeframe.
Whether the company will ultimately achieve its long-term goals remains uncertain, especially given the sheer scale of future expansion plans.
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