An ASCEND study has confirmed space data centres could transform the European digital landscape. To understand the benefits of non-Earth data centres and explore the data from the study, we speak to Yves Durand, Director of Technology for Thales Alenia Space who tells us more.
Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has announced the promising results of the ASCEND (Advanced Space Cloud for European Net zero emission and Data sovereignty) feasibility study.
Launched in 2023 and funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program, this initiative aims to study the feasibility of space-based data centres to work toward the EU Green Deal’s objective of net zero carbon by 2050 and transform the European space and digital ecosystem.
For this study, Thales Alenia Space co-ordinated a European consortium of partners with complementary expertise in environmental aspects (Carbone 4, VITO), cloud computing (Orange Business, CloudFerro, Hewlett Packard Enterprise), launchers (ArianeGroup) and orbital systems (German space agency DLR, Airbus Defence & Space, and Thales Alenia Space).
A project within Europe’s reach
The purpose of the ASCEND study was to compare the environmental impacts of space-based and Earth-based data centres. It was also intended to validate the technological feasibility of developing, deploying and operating such centres in orbit. To significantly reduce the CO2 emissions generated by the processing and storage of digital, the results of the study estimate that such space infrastructures would require the development of a launcher 10x less emissive over its entire lifecycle. Moreover, space data centres would not require water to cool them, a key advantage in times of increasing drought.
Curbing the energy and environmental impacts of data centres could kick-start major investments within the framework of the EU Green Deal, potentially justifying the development of a high-capacity, eco-designed and reusable launcher. Thanks to ArianeGroup’s contribution and analytics from ESA’s PROTEIN feasibility study, ASCEND validated the feasibility of a launcher capable of conducting multiple launches while mitigating its carbon footprint.
Modular space infrastructures would be assembled in orbit using robotic technologies from the European Commission’s EROSS IOD (European Robotic Orbital Support Services In Orbit Demonstrator) led by Thales Alenia Space, scheduled to fly its first mission in 2026. This would enable Europe to restore its leadership in transportation, space logistics and assembly of large in-orbit infrastructures.
Ensuring Europe’s digital sovereignty
The ASCEND project could contribute to Europe’s digital sovereignty, reducing its digital carbon footprint while ensuring data security for citizens and businesses alike. The market for data centres by 2030 is estimated at 23GW of capacity; ASCEND aims to deploy 1GW before 2050. The results of the study also confirm the project’s economic viability, offering a prospect of a return on investment of several billion euros between now and 2050.
“The results of the ASCEND study confirm that deploying data centres in space could transform the European digital landscape, offering a more eco-friendly and sovereign solution for hosting and processing data. We’re proud to be contributing to an initiative supporting Europe’s net zero objectives and strengthening its technological sovereignty,” said Christophe Valorge, Chief Technical Officer, Thales Alenia Space.
Thales Alenia Space and its partners intend to pursue the ASCEND feasibility study to consolidate and optimise its results. At the same time, a paradigm shift within the space sector is required to accomplish the project’s goals, leveraging technologies that are within reach for Europe.
How does Thales Alenia Space envision the role of space-based data centres transforming the European digital ecosystem, and what advantages could they offer over Earth-based data centres?
Space data centres are not intended to replace all ground-based data centres, but to bring alternatives with specific characteristics, for several applications which would benefit from such a global orbital position. The main advantage of space data centres would be, of course, their lower environmental footprint, which is becoming an increasing concern for terrestrial means. But there are other advantages, as they would be disconnected from the ground energy grid, and with more controlled cybersecurity access. The cooling would also be different, radiating heat in space through heat pump systems, allowing for higher processing density, for example.
Can you elaborate on the key innovations that have emerged from the ASCEND feasibility study, and how will these contribute to the deployment and operation of space-based data centres?
The ASCEND study showed the only major innovation for such large space infrastructure, as compared to the ISS for example, is that such orbital stations would be unmanned and entirely robotised for assembly and maintenance. This is quite within our current technological capacity and would be much cheaper than a manned station system. A key innovation was, therefore, to come up with an architecture composed of elements that could be stacked in a launcher and easily assembled with robots. Another key innovation was to demonstrate that a low-footprint heavy lift launcher was feasible, it just had not been the foremost concern up to now.
What measures are being taken to ensure the development and maintenance of space-based data centres adhere to green principles?
Space data centres use solar power generated in orbit, which suppresses energy consumption through ground energy grids, which is the main challenge of ground data centres. Water consumption, which is used to cool ground servers – and which has become a concern – is also eliminated as heat is directly radiated in space.
The main environmental impact of data centres assembled in space comes from the launch phase, which must be minimised. The ASCEND study showed that it was possible to develop a heavy lift launcher with sufficient capacity and a very low carbon footprint, and with the capacity to bring the servers back to earth to be maintained or recycled.
The main challenge is the development of such a green launcher, but we know that it is feasible. It would also have such a strong guaranteed order book, considering the number of launches necessary every year, that it would be rapidly competitive.
How do the environmental benefits translate into economic viability and potential return on investment for stakeholders by 2050?
Data centres are growing very rapidly with the exploding need for data processing, in particular for new AI or other cryptocurrencies applications.
The Internal Energy Agency is forecasting that, for example, Ireland’s data centres may reach a share of 32% of the country’s total electricity demand in 2026. There will come a time when there will be competition between priority usages for clean energy demand, which may require regulation. It may then become economically viable to rely on a new energy source for data centres which are particularly well adapted for orbital functioning.
What are the main challenges Thales Alenia Space and its partners anticipate in the development of space-based data centres?
The ASCEND study showed that such a project would rely on ‘classical’ space technology, already available or currently being developed, such as in-space servicing or assembly with robotics, or laser communications. The main challenge is the scale of such a project. It would require a strong industrialisation of space infrastructure manufacturing. This would in turn allow for a rapid decrease in space hardware and launch costs, which would bring a strong competitive advantage for space data centres but also future space missions.
With the ASCEND project aiming to contribute to Europe’s digital sovereignty, what are the next steps in the initiative and what milestones should we expect to see in the coming years?
Digital sovereignty is important and requires mastering the hardware and software technologies involved in a cloud architecture system. The nice thing about such space cloud system architecture is that it can be developed very incrementally. A small space cloud architecture will already provide services such as rapid environmental events detection, with Edge Computing capability for example.
A demonstrator or proof of concept approach is therefore proposed, with a first high-power 50kW demonstration of cloud-in-space services, to be launched rapidly with currently available launchers.
The next step by 2035 would be an operational data centre in the 10MW capacity range, able to provide commercial services, and demonstrate in-orbit assembly and maintenance capacity. The main goal is to make a substantial contribution to the carbon-neutral objectives of Europe with a 1GW system by 2050.
