Cowboy Space’s Ambitious Plan: 20,000 AI Servers in Orbit

California-based Cowboy Space has unveiled a radical vision for the space industry. According to the company's founder, Robinhood co-author Baiju Bhatt, the goal is to deploy a network of 20,000 artificial intelligence (AI) data centres in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), collectively known as Stampede. To achieve this grand plan, the company is building its own rocket, dubbed Big Iron. ## Innovative Rocket Engineering The design of Big Iron differs significantly from traditional rockets. It is a two-stage vehicle where the upper stage transforms into a data centre once it reaches orbit. The 86-metre-tall stainless steel structure will be powered by Clydesdale engines, which run on a combination of liquid oxygen and methane. The first stage is designed for reuse and will return to Earth, similar to the Falcon 9. The upper stage, which remains in orbit, weighs 15 tonnes and will extend to 132 metres once its solar panels are deployed. Its primary function is to provide the computational power required for AI. Special radiators, which serve as protective shielding during launch, will dissipate the heat generated by the onboard graphical processing units (GPUs) in space. Each server satellite will provide 1 megawatt of computing power. ## Ambitious Schedule and Challenges Cowboy Space has massive plans, aiming for thousands of launches annually to maintain and expand its 20,000-unit network. Bhatt stated that launches will take place from specialised complexes called Trailheads. Beyond its own infrastructure, the company plans to offer commercial payload services to other clients under the name Big Iron Express. Despite the project's scale, the first launch is not expected before December 2028. Currently, the startup is focused on testing its Clydesdale engines. The company has already taken its first step: in early October, it successfully launched Reason-1, a satellite testing technology for transmitting energy to Earth via laser beams. This technology is critical for the operation of space-based data centres, which require stable connectivity and advanced power management systems. Cowboy Space’s venture is significant for the tech world as it seeks to solve the energy and cooling constraints of terrestrial data centres by utilising space-based resources. If successful, the project could radically alter the pace and capabilities of AI infrastructure development.