The filing, submitted Friday, proposes a constellation of orbital data centers that would communicate with each other via laser links. While the FCC is unlikely to approve a network of that unprecedented scale, SpaceX has historically requested approval for unrealistically large satellite numbers as an opening negotiating position.

The Kardashev scale measures civilization advancement by energy consumption, with Type II representing a civilization capable of harnessing all energy from its star. The reference signals SpaceXs ambitions extend far beyond current commercial applications.

Space-based data centers have attracted growing interest as AI computing demands strain terrestrial power grids and cooling systems. Satellites could potentially access unlimited solar power and use the cold of space for cooling — two major constraints on Earth-based facilities.

The proposal comes as SpaceX already operates Starlink, the worlds largest satellite constellation with over 6,000 active satellites. Adding a million data center satellites would represent a sixteen-fold increase, raising serious concerns about orbital congestion, space debris, and astronomical observation interference.