Bitcoin mining leaves the realm of simple science fiction. Starcloud, an American start-up backed by Nvidia, says it wants to carry mining ASICs on its second spacecraft later in 2026. If the trial is successful, the company would become the first to mine bitcoin from Earth orbit.
In brief
- Starcloud wants to launch the first Bitcoin mining ASICs into orbit as early as 2026.
- The project makes space mining technically credible.
- The real profitability still remains to be proven.
Starcloud wants to make bitcoin a credible use case in space
Starcloud no longer speaks of a vague concept, but of a concrete test announced by its leader Philip Johnston. His bet is based on a simple idea. In space, solar energy is abundant, continuous and does not compete directly with terrestrial electrical networks. For Starcloud, this could transform bitcoin mining into a natural use of orbital computing, much more easily than heavy AI, which requires much more expensive GPU chips.
The Starcloud project does not come out of nowhere. Founded in 2024, the company is working first on orbital data centers intended to meet explosive computing needs, especially for AI. It has already sent a satellite equipped with an Nvidia H100 GPU into orbit, then claimed to run and even train AI models in space.
In this context, bitcoin seems almost like a logical detour. Philip Johnston explains that ASICs cost much less per watt than GPUs. He puts forward a striking order of magnitude around $1,000 for a 1 kilowatt ASIC, compared to up to $30,000 for a B200 chip of the same power. Seen from this angle, mining becomes a more realistic gateway to orbital profitability for Starcloud.
This detail changes the reading of the file. Starcloud is not just trying to get people talking about it with a marketing stunt. It also attempts to demonstrate that space can host simple, energy-intensive and very standardized IT activities. But bitcoin mining fits exactly this profile. It doesn't need a complex interface. Above all, it needs electricity, specialized machines and a reliable connection.
An ambitious promise, but still far from a proven model
The speech is attractive. Johnston goes even further, estimating that bitcoin mining consumes around 20 gigawatts of power continuously and that in the long term, a significant portion could be moved into space. The idea strikes people's minds. But between a technical demonstration and a truly viable industry, the gap remains enormous.
Because orbital calculation has serious flaws. Launch costs remain high. The equipment must survive radiation, debris, thermal stress and almost non-existent maintenance. Several players in the sector defend space data centers, but major voices remain skeptical about their profitability in the medium term. Reuters reported again at the beginning of February that the boss of AWS considered these infrastructures very far from a solid economic reality.
In other words, space bitcoin mining becomes technically possible. That doesn't mean it immediately becomes competitive. Starcloud plays a pioneering role here. The market will wait for proof: real yield, lifespan of equipment, cost of hash, reliability of the orbit and return on investment. As long as these points remain unclear, the project is still an advanced test rather than an industrial revolution.
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