[2026 Asia Future Business Forum] Earth Is Too Small, Now to Space... '24-Hour Solar Power' Ushers in the Era of Orbital Data Centers

Professor Myunghoon Shin Presents Keynote at Korea Aerospace University
Hybrid Deployment of Solar Cells for Space Missions
Efficiency of III-V Cells vs. Cost Effectiveness of Perovskite

"Space-grade solar cells are becoming a key enabler of large-scale satellite systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI)."

On May 13 at the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, Professor Myunghoon Shin of Korea Aerospace University presented space solar cells as next-generation energy infrastructure technology set to drive the "New Space" era at the 2026 Asia Future Business Forum. He assessed that overcoming the limitations of ground-based power supply and enabling "orbital data centers" that operate 24 hours a day could be a game changer for the AI industry.

Currently, terrestrial data centers face limits to expansion due to massive power consumption and cooling challenges. In this context, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, stated at the 2026 Davos Forum that "space will be the most cost-efficient location for deploying AI." Analysts explain that space-based AI computing not only avoids environmental regulations and power supply issues on Earth, but also offers ease of long-term scalability, giving it a powerful economic edge.

Already, global big tech companies are competing to pioneer space. SpaceX is reported to have submitted plans to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate more than one million orbital data center satellites, while Amazon and Blue Origin are pursuing gigawatt-scale space data centers through "Project Sunrise." Google also plans to launch a demonstration satellite in 2027 equipped with a cluster of solar-powered satellites featuring tensor processing units (TPU).

Professor Shin singled out CEO Musk as one of the leading figures in the commercialization of space data centers. He noted that Musk has established a vertically integrated ecosystem encompassing everything from solar cell production to launch, operation, and service, going beyond mere technology development. Tesla supplies battery, power electronics, and energy storage technology, while SpaceX delivers infrastructure to space at low cost via reusable launch vehicles. In addition, Starlink’s satellite communication network, xAI’s AI models, and X (formerly Twitter)’s real-time data streams combine to form a massive integrated ecosystem.

Professor Shin stated, "SpaceX is developing expertise in selecting which components, including solar cells, are truly viable for use in space by launching its own rockets," adding, "It is impossible for Korean companies to compete with SpaceX using the same model right now. Even if on a smaller scale, it is important to maintain a domestic space business ecosystem that can support its own consumption."

From a technological perspective, strategic choices between efficiency and cost are becoming increasingly important. The traditional space industry has relied on high-efficiency, highly reliable III-V multi-junction solar cells, but their price per watt is several hundred times that of terrestrial solar cells. As a result, Chinese manufacturers dominating the terrestrial solar cell market are seeking to enter the space market with next-generation material technologies such as perovskite. In particular, tandem cells that combine perovskite and silicon are lightweight, flexible, and can dramatically reduce production costs, making them a strong candidate for future space data centers.

Among domestic companies, Flexell Space and Solletop, in collaboration with Hanwha Systems, are accelerating efforts to secure flight heritage for perovskite tandem cell technology in space.

Professor Shin predicted, "The space solar power industry is shifting toward mission-specific optimization and hybrid approaches that combine high efficiency with low cost," adding, "Ultimately, advancements in solar cell efficiency, materials, and manufacturing technology will play a decisive role in realizing large-scale space energy systems such as orbital data centers."