NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has proposed an unconventional solution to public opposition against data center construction: locating them in outer space.
During an appearance on "Pod Force One," Isaacman, who has led the space agency since December 2025, suggested that orbital data centers could draw power from fusion reactors operating outside Earth's atmosphere. He also noted this would address "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) concerns from communities.
"Elon [Musk] and others in the industry are like let’s take the data centers that no one likes in your backyard — it seems like there’s a lot of consensus on that — and put them into space where they won’t bother anyone," Isaacman stated. He added that the power source would be "free solar power from our fusion reactor that’s just sitting out there."
The solar panels required for such an endeavor would need to be expansive, covering an area equivalent to "several football fields," according to Isaacman.
This proposal comes as data center construction faces significant public scrutiny. As of this year, over 1,500 data centers are under construction nationwide, with approximately two-thirds planned for rural areas, according to the Pew Research Center. A July Fox News voter poll indicated that 70% of U.S. voters oppose the construction of data centers in their regions to support artificial intelligence, with only 30% in favor.
Isaacman drew a parallel between public support for orbital data centers and the 70% of Americans who support a "return to the moon." He expressed confidence in the future of space-based data centers, stating, "I would not bet against the orbital data centers, the AI data centers, for a lot of reasons." He anticipates that even if the economics are not immediately favorable, they will improve over time, citing Amazon's early business model as an example.
Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and experienced pilot, founded the payment-processing firm Shift4 before establishing an aerospace company. He has completed several spaceflights, including participation in the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission in 2024, which conducted the first private spacewalk. His background includes dropping out of high school to pursue his entrepreneurial ventures.