ITIF Recommends Policy Reforms for Emerging Orbital Data Centers
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has issued recommendations for policymakers regarding the development of orbital data centers. As these technologies advance, ITIF suggests focusing on reducing regulatory uncertainty, improving the predictability of spectrum access and licensing, clarifying cybersecurity expectations, and enhancing the safety of the increasingly congested orbital environment. These measures are intended to lower barriers to experimentation while maintaining safeguards for competition, national security, orbital sustainability, and the reliable operation of critical communications infrastructure. Orbital data centers, specialized satellites that perform computing functions in space, are gaining attention due to rising demand for computing capacity and advancements in commercial space capabilities. While not a near-term replacement for terrestrial cloud infrastructure, they are seen as a complementary layer for specific workloads, particularly those benefiting from...
