Space startup Starcloud, backed by Nvidia, plans to launch a satellite equipped with ASIC miners into orbit by the end of 2026 to mine Bitcoin. The announcement was made by the company’s CEO, Philip Johnston.
According to him, cryptocurrency mining could become one of the most promising applications for space-based computing. The main advantage lies in the cost of hardware. ASIC miners are significantly cheaper than the GPUs typically used for AI workloads.
Johnston gave an example: one kilowatt of power from a B200 chip can cost around $30,000, while the same capacity using ASIC hardware costs roughly $1,000.
The Starcloud CEO believes that orbital mining could become a “business of the future.” The key reason is access to virtually unlimited solar energy. In space, this energy can be used directly without the infrastructure and electricity costs required on Earth.
Johnston estimates that the Bitcoin network currently consumes around 20 GW of power, and in the long term such energy demand may become a challenge for terrestrial infrastructure. Because of this, some computing operations could eventually move to orbit.
Starcloud was founded in 2024 and focuses on building space-based data centers. In November 2025, the company launched its first satellite, Starcloud-1, which was equipped with Nvidia H100 chips.
In February 2026, the company filed an application with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy a large constellation of almost 90,000 solar-powered satellites designed to operate as orbital data centers. Part of this infrastructure is expected to be used for cryptocurrency mining.
However, the timeline of the project largely depends on SpaceX and its heavy-lift rocket Starship, whose next launch is expected in March.