The Orbital Data Center Stack Is Splitting Into Three Distinct Markets

The orbital data center market is no longer a single-vendor proposition. A growing roster of startups is splitting the problem into pieces — power generation, on-orbit servicing, application layers — and betting that each layer is large enough to support its own business. SpaceNews reports that companies including Star Catcher, Lux Aeterna and Loft Orbital are staking out distinct positions in what each sees as a coming infrastructure buildout.

The pitch is straightforward. AI demand is...