SpaceX (with xAI): Starmind AI1: first-generation AI compute satellite
SpaceX's first-generation orbital data center satellite. SpaceX said on 4 Aug 2026 it is partnering with NVIDIA on the AI1 compute payload; NVIDIA's 24 Aug 2026 release says AI1 will be based on an optimized Vera Rubin NVL72 rack-scale system. Musk gave Q4 2027 for the first launch to orbit. The wider constellation is the FCC filing tracked separately.
| Company | SpaceX (with xAI) |
|---|---|
| Partners | NVIDIA |
| Category | satellite |
| Hardware | Space-optimized NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 system (NVIDIA Rubin GPUs and Vera CPUs) |
| Timeline | Q4 2027 (Musk, 24 Aug 2026); 'significant scale' in 2028 |
| Vehicle | not public |
| Mission | not public |
| Scale | per AI1 satellite: 150 kW peak / about 120 kW average compute, 70 m wingspan, 20 m deployed height |
| Funding (public) | not public |
| Status | announced |
| NORAD IDs | not yet public |
Sources
- NVIDIA Newsroom, 2026-08-24: SpaceXAI's planned first-generation Starmind AI satellite will be based on the optimized NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 rack-scale system
- Light Reading, 2026-08-25: Musk: space-optimized Vera Rubin NVL72 system for launch to orbit in Q4 2027, significant scale in 2028; AI1 is 20 m high, 70 m wingspan, 150 kW peak, about 120 kW average compute
- Yahoo Finance, 2026-08-05: On the 4 Aug 2026 Q2 earnings call Musk said SpaceX is exclusive to NVIDIA; Starmind satellites to use Vera Rubin NVL72 rack-scale systems
- Interesting Engineering, 2026-08-04: SpaceX is partnering with NVIDIA to design the Starmind AI1 satellite compute payload, with NVIDIA Rubin GPUs and Vera CPUs
- Yahoo Finance, 2026-06-09: AI1 revealed June 2026: 150 kW peak / 120 kW average compute, 70 m wingspan, 20 m deployed height, deployable liquid radiator
Related projects
| Project | Lead | Hardware | Timeline | Status | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starcloud-1 | Starcloud | 1 NVIDIA H100 GPU | 2 Nov 2025 | in orbit | [1] [2] [3] |
| Orbital data center constellation (FCC SAT-LOA-20260108-00016) | SpaceX (with xAI) | – | FCC application filed 30 Jan 2026 | filed | [1] [2] |
| Vera Rubin Space-1 Module | NVIDIA | Vera Rubin Space-1 Module for orbital data centers | announced 16 Mar 2026 (GTC); availability not stated | announced | [1] |
Independent tracker by CyberMax. Company and project names are used only to identify what is tracked; no affiliation with or endorsement by any company named. No third-party logos are used. Unknown values are left blank, never estimated.