Elon Musk’s Space-Based AI Ambition: A Lifeline for the Glutted Solar Industry?

[karin623]

Elon Musk may be chasing his most audacious vision yet: moving AI into orbit.

In a recent internal memo, Musk framed the launch of a million-satellite constellation as humanity’s first step toward a Kardashev Type II civilization — one powered directly by the sun. His goal? Deploy 100 gigawatts of AI compute capacity into space and fuel it with solar energy, bypassing Earth’s grid constraints altogether.

This isn’t just another Musk moonshot. It’s a direct response to a hard reality: AI is running into an energy wall. With U.S. grid connections taking years and gas turbines in short supply, Musk is betting that space — not land — will become the cheapest frontier for compute.

If he’s serious, this could reshape not only AI infrastructure, but the global solar industry now drowning in overcapacity.

Is this science fiction — or the next energy revolution?

Full analysis in this week’s newsletter.

Elon Musk’s Space-Based AI Ambition: A Lifeline for the Glutted Solar Industry?

Liang-rong Chen

cwnewsroom.substack.com

 

[IanD]

Elon Musk may be chasing his most audacious vision yet: moving AI into orbit.

In a recent internal memo, Musk framed the launch of a million-satellite constellation as humanity’s first step toward a Kardashev Type II civilization — one powered directly by the sun. His goal? Deploy 100 gigawatts of AI compute capacity into space and fuel it with solar energy, bypassing Earth’s grid constraints altogether.

This isn’t just another Musk moonshot. It’s a direct response to a hard reality: AI is running into an energy wall. With U.S. grid connections taking years and gas turbines in short supply, Musk is betting that space — not land — will become the cheapest frontier for compute.

If he’s serious, this could reshape not only AI infrastructure, but the global solar industry now drowning in overcapacity.

Is this science fiction — or the next energy revolution?

Full analysis in this week’s newsletter.

Elon Musk’s Space-Based AI Ambition: A Lifeline for the Glutted Solar Industry?

Liang-rong Chen

cwnewsroom.substack.com

From the numbers I worked out (something like 100kW/ton), 100GW of AI would need 1M tons putting into orbit...

 

[count]

I wouldn't describe the solar industry as gutted. It continues to grow at very healthy rates. However cell and module production is suffering from persistent oversupply which makes it hard for the manufacturers to make money, but this is to the benefit of players downstream in the industry.

 

[peter]

100GW isn't adding that much demand to the production capacity of solar companies. Just Jinko alone delivered that much last year. Currently annual production capacity for Chinese suppliers alone is around 1.5TW.

There are some interesting discussions as to which direction SpaceX will go with solar. Terrestrial industry is going towards TopCON, there's speculation SpaceX is thinking HJT for potentially better performance in LEO. But overall, I don't see it impacting existing players as the modules SpaceX would be implementing would be very different from modules made for terrestrial use.