Inside the First Orbital Marketplace for Space Data Centres

Atomic-6 is bringing a new approach to data centre deployment with the launch of ODC.space, a marketplace designed to offer on-demand access to orbital data centre capacity.

The platform allows AI developers, software providers and government agencies to specify, price and procure compute infrastructure hosted in space. Rather than building and operating their own satellite systems, users can contract capacity directly, with deployment timelines of two to three years – shorter than many terrestrial data centre projects, which can exceed five years.

This model responds to growing constraints on land, power and permitting that continue to affect data centre expansion on Earth. As demand for AI and high-performance computing increases, operators are exploring alternative approaches to scaling infrastructure.

Col. Chris Hadfield, Board of Advisors Member at Atomic-6, explains how the platform simplifies access to orbital compute. “What customers get is a single path from requirements to on-orbit operations,” he says. “You don't need to stand up a satellite programme to deploy compute capacity in space. You contract capacity, Atomic-6 delivers and operates the system, and the front end looks like a data centre, not a spacecraft.”

Chris highlights how orbital systems operate under different constraints compared with terrestrial infrastructure. 

“On the ground, AI infrastructure is increasingly gated by 'big iron' bottlenecks: transformers, turbines, transmission upgrades and permitting,” he explains. “Space systems operate under a different regulatory regime, with more predictable licensing pathways and fewer public-facing constraints.”

A new model for data centre capacity

ODC.space introduces a marketplace model to data centre procurement, where capacity can be purchased as a service rather than developed as a standalone project. This includes both sovereign deployments, where organisations own dedicated infrastructure, and colocation models where capacity is shared.

The platform is designed for workloads that benefit from operating in orbit, including AI processing and data-intensive applications. In these scenarios, proximity to space-based data sources and reduced reliance on terrestrial infrastructure can offer operational advantages.

Trevor Smith, President and CEO of Atomic-6, outlines how the company is positioning the service. “The promise here is not hype,” he says. “We provide systems engineering to make an easy, turnkey solution with no-nonsense pricing to answer customer questions about what's possible and on what timelines. This represents a maturation of the ODC market, where users are more interested in contracts than projections.”

Atomic-6 manages spacecraft integration, launch and operations through a network of partners, while also handling regulatory requirements such as spectrum licensing and approvals. The service includes mission control, monitoring and support for up to five years, with options to extend operations.

Engineering orbital data centres

Delivering data centre infrastructure in orbit introduces technical challenges, particularly around power, cooling and durability. Atomic-6 addresses these through a set of proprietary technologies designed to support sustained compute operations in space.

Light Wing systems generate power using large solar arrays, removing reliance on terrestrial grids. Hot Wing radiators manage thermal output from high-density compute workloads by dissipating heat into space. Space Armor shielding protects against micrometeoroids and orbital debris, extending operational lifespan.

The platform supports configurations from modular compute nodes to satellites capable of handling up to 100kW workloads, operating in low-Earth sun-synchronous orbit. Built-in connectivity, starting at 1Gbps, enables data transfer between orbit and ground networks.

By presenting orbital infrastructure as a standardised service, ODC.space positions space-based data centres as an extension of existing digital infrastructure, rather than a specialised or isolated system.