Key Takeaways
1. Lonestar Data Holdings successfully tested its Freedom lunar data center with the Intuitive Machines IM-2 Athena lander in preparation for a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission in early 2025.
2. The Freedom data center will provide Resiliency as a Service (RaaS), offering global data backup and recovery solutions while minimizing risks associated with Earth-bound disasters.
3. The lunar data center will validate the operation of a physical facility on the moon, including tests like transmitting the song “Children of Sky” from the Starfield video game back to Earth.
4. Additional testing will include edge computing applications, Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs), and the use of an Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) sensor to monitor radiation levels.
5. The solar-powered data center features innovative design elements, including 8 TB of solid-state storage, a PolarFire FPGA for processing, and an exterior created using 3D printing technology by architect Bjarke Ingels.
Lonestar Data Holdings has completed a successful test connecting its Freedom lunar data center with the Intuitive Machines IM-2 Athena lander. This integration is part of the preparations for a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission scheduled for the first quarter of 2025, which aims to deploy the first physical data center on the moon. Interested viewers can check out Lonestar’s presentation video available online.
Advancing Resiliency as a Service
The Freedom data center is set to introduce Resiliency as a Service (RaaS) for clients on Earth, offering global data backup and recovery solutions. By situating data centers on the moon, the risks associated with natural disasters, theft, and conflicts on Earth can be significantly minimized.
Testing Capabilities from Lunar Surface
The first data center will serve to validate the functionality of operating a physical facility on the moon for data storage and various enterprise needs, including non-disclosure agreement clients. Among the tests planned, the center will transmit the song “Children of Sky” from the popular Bethesda video game Starfield back to Earth. Gamers can enjoy the song by accessing the game, which is available for Xbox on Amazon.
Exploring Additional Applications
Additional applications related to edge computing will also undergo testing. Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs) will be examined as part of a project by Vint Cerf and the Solar System Internet initiative. An Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) sensor will be utilized to gather real-time data on radiation levels affecting the data center. Understanding this information is vital, as high-energy radiation in space can severely damage electronics and data storage devices without adequate shielding.
Innovative Design and Specifications
The solar-powered facility will be cooled naturally and equipped with 8 TB of Phison solid-state storage. The Freedom data center will utilize a PolarFire FPGA for processing tasks at the edge. Its exterior, made using 3D printing technology, was designed by renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels from BIG.
Lonestar Data Holdings, Lonestar Data Holdings press release, Liberty Ventures on YouTube
Lonestar’s Data Center is primed for lunar deployment: Intuitive Machines and Lonestar finalize testing and installation of the data center payload.
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