Space Compute to Cost 15-30% More Than Terrestrial by 2028-30, but Near-Zero Opex
JOBhakdi · x · 2026-09-27
In a discussion on SpaceX's space-based compute economics, the author estimates that deploying the same compute in space during 2028-2030 will be 15-30% more expensive than building it on Earth (±20% margin). The trade-off: terrestrial opex—cooling, electricity, leasing—is vastly higher, while space opex is effectively zero since those costs are baked in.
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