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Putting data centers on ships in international waters would be just as effective at evading government control (i.e. not very) while being orders of magnitude e

by wat10000 11mo ago

Putting data centers on ships in international waters would be just as effective at evading government control (i.e. not very) while being orders of magnitude easier and cheaper to build and operate.

echelon 11mo ago
They've always been able to do this. Microsoft was talking about submarine data centers powered by tidal forces in the early 2000s. There have been talks of data centers on Sealand-like nation states. Geothermal ... Exotic data center builds will always be hyped. Always be within the realm of feasibility when cost is no object, but probably outside of practicality or need. Next it'll be fusion-powered data centers.
- cwal37 11mo ago
  Commonwealth Fusion Systems called dibs on next last year by saying they’re gonna have a Dominion (Virginia) commercial site up and running in the early 2030s. https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-to-build-worlds-first-commercial-fusion-power-plant-in-virginia https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-system...
  - rgmerk 11mo ago
    Is there a way I can take bets on this not happening? Because I’d sure like to.
    - cwal37 11mo ago
      Despite the massive PPAs that have already been signed on a chunk of the plant’s planned output I also find it very hard to believe.
bouncycastle 11mo ago
Recently the USA blew out some some boats in international waters and came back to finish off the survivors, despite thin evidence and no due process, while maintaining that it was legal. If those data centers on ships ever become declared as a 'threat to national security' then they might get the same treatment.
- gpm 11mo ago
  This would be equally true in space.
- collinmcnulty 11mo ago
  I think GP's point is that an advanced nation-state could just as easily shoot down an orbiting data center as an oceanic data center and that "international space" offers an equally flimsy defense as "international waters" but a much larger price.
  - ACCount37 11mo ago
    Antisatellite weapons are expensive and rare, and also woefully inadequate for dealing with megaconstellations. If there's one large orbital datacenter, then sure, ASAT is a threat to it. But if it's a dispersed swarm like the Starlink system? Good luck making a dent in that. You'd run out of ASAT long before Musk runs out of Starlink.
    - verzali 11mo ago
      You only need to destroy a few. Then you have a cloud of debris that will take down the rest or at the very least force them to use all their fuel making evasive manoeuvres.
      - ACCount37 11mo ago
        Not really. Space is too large.
        tsimionescu 11mo ago
        On the contrary, orbital positions are quite limited. And space debris is already a large issue.
        Apocryphon 11mo ago

Putting data centers on ships in international waters would be just as effective at evading government control (i.e. not very) while being orders of magnitude easier and cheaper to build and operate.

echelon 11mo ago

They've always been able to do this. Microsoft was talking about submarine data centers powered by tidal forces in the early 2000s. There have been talks of data centers on Sealand-like nation states. Geothermal ... Exotic data center builds will always be hyped. Always be within the realm of feasibility when cost is no object, but probably outside of practicality or need. Next it'll be fusion-powered data centers.

cwal37 11mo ago
Commonwealth Fusion Systems called dibs on next last year by saying they’re gonna have a Dominion (Virginia) commercial site up and running in the early 2030s. https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-systems-to-build-worlds-first-commercial-fusion-power-plant-in-virginia https://cfs.energy/news-and-media/commonwealth-fusion-system...
- rgmerk 11mo ago
  Is there a way I can take bets on this not happening? Because I’d sure like to.
  - cwal37 11mo ago
    Despite the massive PPAs that have already been signed on a chunk of the plant’s planned output I also find it very hard to believe.

bouncycastle 11mo ago

Recently the USA blew out some some boats in international waters and came back to finish off the survivors, despite thin evidence and no due process, while maintaining that it was legal. If those data centers on ships ever become declared as a 'threat to national security' then they might get the same treatment.

gpm 11mo ago
This would be equally true in space.
collinmcnulty 11mo ago
I think GP's point is that an advanced nation-state could just as easily shoot down an orbiting data center as an oceanic data center and that "international space" offers an equally flimsy defense as "international waters" but a much larger price.
- ACCount37 11mo ago
  Antisatellite weapons are expensive and rare, and also woefully inadequate for dealing with megaconstellations. If there's one large orbital datacenter, then sure, ASAT is a threat to it. But if it's a dispersed swarm like the Starlink system? Good luck making a dent in that. You'd run out of ASAT long before Musk runs out of Starlink.
  - verzali 11mo ago
    You only need to destroy a few. Then you have a cloud of debris that will take down the rest or at the very least force them to use all their fuel making evasive manoeuvres.
    - ACCount37 11mo ago
      Not really. Space is too large.
      - tsimionescu 11mo ago
        On the contrary, orbital positions are quite limited. And space debris is already a large issue.
        Apocryphon 11mo ago