Space-Based Data Centres: A Paradigm for Data Processing and Scientific Investigations

Terrestrial data centres have played and continue to play important role in data processing and usage for different applications. With increasing demand for data storage, access speed and implementation, reliance on further hosting of terrestrial data centres becomes problematic in densely populated regions. This leads to exploring space as hosting centres, and when properly configured, would enable cognitive computing for different applications, as well as allowing satellite networks integration. In this paper, the design of this space entity, the description of how it is integrated in satellite networks and additional applications, and the comparative cost of terrestrial and space siting of data centres is discussed. It also formulates the opportunity cost of using land for hosting data centres using a multi-factor exponential cost model and latency of space applications. Simulation shows that the use of space-based data centres (SBDC) reduces land costs for other purposes by a minimum and maximum of 3.3% and 66.3% on average, respectively. The use of SBDC also reduces the latency by 45.7% on average. The paper also implies that the use of SBDC may contribute to searching for extra-terrestrial intelligence and may trigger alien intelligence exhibition on the basis of alien external excitation hypothesis.