Starcloud plans to begin mining bitcoin in orbit later this year
Startup Starcloud plans to install bitcoin-mining ASICs on its second spacecraft, Starcloud-2, and begin mining after launch. CEO Philip Johnston said the spacecraft is scheduled to launch later in 2026.
A forecast as of publication. An announcement and on-sale availability require separate confirmation.
Image: itc.ua · Author: \u041e\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0440 \u0424\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0442\u043a\u0456\u043d · source articleEditorial excerpt for news reporting
Startup Starcloud plans to begin mining bitcoin in space after launching its Starcloud-2 spacecraft. CEO Philip Johnston said the launch is scheduled for later in 2026.
Starcloud-2 is expected to carry bitcoin-mining ASICs. Johnston confirmed the plan in an interview with Documenting Bitcoin, although the spacecraft’s official page does not mention bitcoin mining or ASIC chips.
ASICs cost less per kilowatt than GPUs
Johnston said the proposal is based on ASICs costing less than graphics processors. He estimated that ASICs are 30 times cheaper than GPUs per kilowatt, comparing a 1-kilowatt NVIDIA B200 priced at $30,000 with an ASIC of similar power priced at $1,000.
Founded in 2024, Starcloud aims to place data centers in orbit. The company plans to use solar power and radiative cooling, and says falling launch costs could help it reach gigawatt-scale capacity quickly.
Starcloud has planned four launches. Like the earlier satellite, Starcloud-2 will also carry a group of powerful graphics processors.
The project faces technical risks: servicing spacecraft in orbit would be difficult and expensive, while convection cooling cannot be used in a vacuum. Because few comparable projects exist, some problems may become clear only after launch. The source also puts the price of one bitcoin at about $86,000.
What we know
- Starcloud plans to mine bitcoin with its Starcloud-2 spacecraft after launch.
- Starcloud-2 is scheduled to launch later in 2026.
- Johnston compared a $1,000 1-kilowatt ASIC with a $30,000 NVIDIA B200.
- Convection cooling is unavailable in vacuum, and spacecraft servicing would be difficult and costly.
Trust: Single source
- The story relies on one publisher. A second independent confirmation has not been established from the cited sources.
- Sources: ITC.ua.
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