qjmw comments on Server Sky: lots of very thin computer satellites - Less Wrong

3 Post author: lsparrish 16 April 2012 11:05AM

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Comment author: qjmw 16 April 2012 06:31:17PM 0 points [-]

Why not build data centers around Earth so that there is always solar power available to some of them (and you perhaps get to use the waste heat for something useful like heating homes), and then make the data centers available everywhere on Earth via satellites or something?

Comment author: lsparrish 16 April 2012 10:30:38PM 1 point [-]

The bottom line is that servers on earth is not as scalable. Solar isn't as available on earth, and trying to tap into what is available will probably lead to massive habitat destruction. Heating homes with the waste heat makes the heat harder to remove (you have to pump heat, which produces heat), and would require infrastructure that is costly to build (e.g. water pipes). Space is colder than liquid helium, though it does not directly conduct heat (you have to use black-body radiation).