The optimistic findings of the ASCEND (Advanced Space Cloud for European Net zero emission and Data sovereignty) feasibility study were released today by Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%). In order to achieve the EU Green Deal’s goal of net-zero carbon by 2050 and to revolutionize the European space and digital ecosystem, this initiative, which was financed by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe program and launched in 2023, intends to investigate the viability of space-based data centres.
The ASCEND study confirmed the viability of orbital centres and contrasted the environmental effects of data centres in space to those on Earth. It projected that a launcher ten times less emissive would be required, and it highlighted advantages such as water-free cooling. According to the EU Green Deal, this might support the development of a new environmentally friendly rocket. By 2026, modular space infrastructures will be put together, strengthening Europe’s position as a leader in large-scale in-orbit projects and space logistics.
The ASCEND study’s findings support the idea that putting data centres in orbit might revolutionize Europe’s digital environment by providing a more independent and environmentally friendly method of processing and storing data. According to Christophe Valorge, Chief Technical Officer of Thales Alenia Space, “We’re proud to be contributing to an initiative supporting Europe’s net-zero objectives and strengthening its technological sovereignty.”
The ASCEND project has the potential to enhance Europe’s digital sovereignty by mitigating its digital carbon footprint and guaranteeing data security for both individuals and enterprises. ASCEND wants to deploy one gigawatt of data centre capacity before 2050. By 2030, the market is expected to reach 23 gigawatts of capacity. The study’s findings support the project’s economic feasibility and provide hope for a multi billion euro return on investment.
