Cowboy files plans for up to 20,000 orbital data centers

Cowboy Space has filed plans with the Federal Communications Commission for a 20,000-satellite "Stampede" orbital data center constellation, shortly after raising $275 million to develop rockets whose upper stages would serve as the computing platforms.

The low Earth orbit (LEO) network would operate in dawn-dusk sun-synchronous orbits in shells between 700-1,000 kilometers above Earth, where they would use near-continuous solar energy to help bypass power, land, water and other constraints facing terrestrial data centers.

The San Carlos, California-based startup provided few details in the May 14 application about satellites it plans to begin launching in 2028, noting their design remains unfinished and will need a license modification before service.