SpaceX has expanded its partnership with NVIDIA to power Starmind, a proposed network of orbital data centers designed to process artificial intelligence workloads in space. The company plans to equip its Starmind satellites with NVIDIA’s Rubin graphics processing units and Vera central processing units.
Partnership Details
SpaceX was not included in NVIDIA's initial launch partners for its Space-1 platform, which was introduced in March. However, the company has now joined the list of customers working with NVIDIA on orbital computing.
Regulatory Approval
SpaceX's broader plan remains subject to regulatory approval in the United States, with the company filing an application in January seeking permission to launch and operate as many as one million non-geostationary satellites. The proposed system would operate between 500 and 2,000 kilometers above Earth, with optical links connecting the satellites through a high-capacity network.
Market Impact
NVIDIA shares gained 3.03% to $212.91 during Tuesday afternoon trading, reflecting investor expectations that orbital data centers could create another market for the chipmaker's AI computing hardware. SpaceX's stock initially rose but later fell 6.82% to $116.78 in after-hours trading as investors assessed the company's quarterly results and AI spending plans.