The Federal Communications Commission said that it is seeking public comment on SpaceX's orbital data center plan.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency "welcomes" the proposal to launch a million data center satellites.

SpaceX claims that, once Starship is operational and reusable, "launching one million tonnes per year of satellites generating 100kW of computer power per tonne would add 100 gigawatts of AI compute capacity annually, with minimal ongoing operational or maintenance needs.

"Freed from the constraints of terrestrial deployment, within a few years, the lowest cost to generate AI compute will be space."

No specific timelines were shared. SpaceX requested a waiver of FCC milestone requirements that usually require half of a constellation to be deployed within six years of authorization and the full system within nine years.

First, the plan requires FCC approval, with the agency calling for public comments until 6 March. It plans to respond to those by 16 March, with the public again able to respond to those comments by 23 March.