Voyager Technologies CEO Flags Cooling As Key Hurdle For Space-Based Data Centers

(RTTNews) - Voyager Technologies' (VOYG) Chief Executive Dylan Taylor said space-based data centers are becoming technically feasible. Still, the industry has yet to solve a fundamental challenge: how to manage heat in orbit.

Dylan Taylor said even a two-year timeline would be ambitious, as cooling systems in space must rely on radiation rather than conventional heat transfer, making large-scale computing infrastructure difficult to deploy.

The comments come as interest in orbital data centers grows, driven in part by Elon Musk's vision of combining space launch and artificial intelligence capabilities. Musk has cited space-based computing as a key rationale behind closer integration between SpaceX and xAI, arguing that off-planet infrastructure could support future AI workloads.

Voyager, which went public last year, is best known for its Starlab project, designed to succeed the International Space Station after its planned retirement in 2030. Taylor said the company remains on track for a 2029 launch and is working alongside partners including Palantir, Airbus, and Mitsubishi. Voyager already operates its own cloud computing hardware aboard the ISS.

Expectations of higher U.S. defense spending under President Donald Trump and the prospect of a SpaceX IPO have also lifted investor interest in the space sector. However, public market performance across the industry has been mixed. Voyager's shares have fallen sharply since listing, while peers such as Firefly Aerospace have also seen steep declines following their debuts.

Despite those setbacks, Taylor said Voyager is positioning itself for long-term leadership in orbital computing, pointing to advances in laser communications and in-space data processing. He said the company believes the technology will mature, enabling more data to be generated and handled beyond Earth, once the cooling hurdle is overcome.

Friday, VOYG closed at $26.87, up 11.17%, and is trading slightly lower after hours at $26.86, down 0.04%, on the NYSE.