Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has unveiled plans to build a massive satellite constellation aimed at taking data centres into orbit, marking a significant expansion of its ambitions beyond launch services.
In a recent application filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the company outlined Project Sunrise, a proposed network of up to 51,600 satellites designed to host orbital data infrastructure.
The system is intended to meet the rapidly growing global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing.
The concept represents a shift in how digital infrastructure could be built in the future. Instead of relying solely on land-based data centres, which face constraints such as land availability, energy consumption, and cooling requirements, Blue Origin aims to move computing capacity into space.
According to the filing, the satellites will operate in sun-synchronous orbits at altitudes ranging between 500 and 1,800 kilometres. This type of orbit allows satellites to maintain consistent lighting conditions, which could be advantageous for power generation using solar panels.
To handle vast amounts of data, the constellation will rely primarily on optical communication links, enabling high-speed data transfer between satellites through laser-based systems.
These will be supported by a mesh network architecture to ensure efficient data routing, along with Ka-band radio frequencies for telemetry, tracking, and command operations.
The spacecraft will also incorporate multiple antenna configurations to maintain seamless coverage across different orbital paths, ensuring stable connectivity and performance.
Blue Origin has requested several regulatory waivers from the FCC, including exemptions from standard processing procedures and certain financial requirements typically imposed on satellite operators. The company argues that Project Sunrise would improve global access to computing resources while making more efficient use of radio spectrum.
If approved, the project could position Blue Origin as a major player in the emerging field of space-based computing infrastructure, competing with existing satellite internet constellations while introducing a new layer of orbital services.
The proposal comes amid a broader industry push to expand space-based capabilities, as companies explore ways to support the exponential growth of AI-driven workloads and digital services worldwide.
