F E A T U R E

An ASCEND study has confirmed space data centres could transform the European digital landscape . To understand the benefits of non-Earth data centres and explore the data from the study , we speak to Yves Durand , Director of Technology for Thales Alenia Space who tells us more . hales Alenia Space , the

Launched in 2023 and funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program , this initiative aims to study the feasibility of space-based data centres to work toward the EU Green Deal ’ s objective of net zero carbon by 2050 and transform the European space and digital ecosystem .

For this study , Thales Alenia Space co-ordinated a European consortium of partners with complementary expertise in environmental aspects ( Carbone 4 , VITO ), cloud computing ( Orange Business , CloudFerro , Hewlett Packard Enterprise ), launchers ( ArianeGroup ) and orbital systems ( German space agency DLR , Airbus Defence & Space , and Thales Alenia Space ).

A project within Europe ’ s reach

The purpose of the ASCEND study was to compare the environmental impacts of space-based and Earth-based data centres . It was also intended to validate the technological feasibility of developing , deploying and operating such centres in orbit . To significantly reduce the CO 2 emissions generated by the processing and storage of digital , the results of the study estimate that such space infrastructures would require the development of a launcher 10x less emissive over its entire lifecycle . Moreover , space data centres would not require water to cool them , a key advantage in times of increasing drought .

Curbing the energy and environmental impacts of data centres could kick-start major investments within the framework of the EU Green Deal , potentially

www . intelligentdatacentres . com 37