Moon-orbit data centers edge closer as Elon Musk-aligned NASA Artemis mission kicks off

NASA (now under the leadership of Elon Musk’s confidante Jared Isaacman) just kicked off the next step in building permanent infrastructure around the moon, and that includes plans for space-based data centers.

On Saturday, the agency started rolling out its massive rocket and crew capsule to the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This rollout is part of Artemis II, which will carry four astronauts around the moon and back. The rocket took off slowly, literally. It’s only a four-mile trip, but the rollout took twelve hours.

This thing isn’t new. It’s the Space Launch System (SLS) built by Boeing, with the Orion capsule from Lockheed Martin sitting on top.

The system has been under development for around fifteen years, with only one uncrewed flight in 2022. That test flight orbited the moon. Every launch costs over $4 billion, and it’s already years behind schedule.

NASA begins pad tests as Congress fights over cost

Once the rocket got to the pad, NASA crews started setting up. They began connecting ground equipment, testing hardware, and checking everything on-site. They’re working toward the next big milestone: a full countdown rehearsal at the end of January.

That’s when they fuel up the rocket and run through all the final steps leading up to launch. Nothing moves forward until that test passes.

“Wet dress is the big test at the pad. That’s the one to keep an eye on,” said Charlie, the launch director.

The actual launch is now scheduled for April. It was originally planned for late 2024, but delays pushed it. The Artemis II mission will send the crew around the moon, then bring them home within ten days. It’s the first human flight of the SLS. The next flight (Artemis III) will put astronauts back on the moon. That one is expected in 2027.

The money behind this is just as insane. Donald Trump’s budget for this year wanted to phase out the SLS after its third flight. He called it “grossly expensive and delayed.”

But Ted Cruz stepped in and got $4.1 billion added back through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed in July.

Bezos and Musk eye moon orbit for new data center push

While the rocket rollout is happening, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are already thinking a few steps ahead. Both of them are working on designs for space-based data centers.

These would orbit the moon and run off the cold of space instead of overloading Earth’s power grid. These types of data centers eat electricity like crazy, and keeping them cool is expensive. Sticking them in space makes it easier to manage all that heat.

“These are the kind of days we live for,” said John, who leads the Artemis II mission team.

NASA says the countdown will continue through all of January. Teams will do one last sweep before the final rehearsal. If nothing breaks, they’ll launch by spring. And if that works, the moon becomes the next big tech zone.