Google, SpaceX negotiating deal for space data centers

Google and SpaceX are in contract negotiations for rocket launches to build data centers in Earth orbit.

Google is already an early investor in SpaceX, holding a 6.1% stake. Don Harrison, Google's President of Global Partnerships, sits on SpaceX's board, indicating a close cooperative relationship.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has previously predicted that data centers in space will become commonplace within the next decade. He has outlined a technical vision involving sending small racks into space for testing before scaling up operations.

Last year, Google announced 'Project Sunroof' and plans to launch a prototype satellite by 2027 in collaboration with Planet Labs. The AI company Anthropic has also signed an agreement with SpaceX to lease space data centers, signaling fierce competition in related technological development.