SpaceX’s plans to launch data centers into orbit may create a new and substantial source of electronic waste, resembling a reverse process of asteroid mining. The concept, dubbed “yeetcycling,” involves launching data centers into low Earth orbit, operating them for a limited time, and then allowing them to deorbit and burn up in the atmosphere.
The core idea, as described by ars_technica_science, is that the short lifespan of these orbital data centers will inevitably lead to a considerable amount of e-waste. This is likened to “asteroid mining in reverse,” where instead of extracting resources from space, materials are sent *to* space only to be destroyed.
The article highlights that while the specifics of SpaceX’s plans are still developing, the fundamental process of launching, operating briefly, and then deorbiting guarantees the creation of e-waste.
We don't rate truth. We strip the spin and show you which perspectives covered the story. You decide.
Read the original coverage
💬 Comments
📜 Comment Policy