Key Highlights
- Nvidia-supported Starcloud intends to deploy Bitcoin mining ASICs aboard its second orbital spacecraft in 2026
- According to CEO Philip Johnston, Bitcoin ASICs run approximately $1,000 per kilowatt compared to $30,000 for GPUs, offering significant cost advantages
- The company has submitted FCC applications to operate an 88,000-satellite constellation for space-based data centers utilizing solar power
- Johnston predicts Bitcoin mining operations will ultimately transition to space due to terrestrial energy constraints
- Mining difficulty for Bitcoin has decreased 7% since reaching peak levels in November, providing temporary relief for miners
A US-based startup called Starcloud has announced plans to deploy Bitcoin mining equipment in orbit during 2026, positioning itself to potentially become the first enterprise to conduct cryptocurrency mining operations beyond Earth.
Company CEO Philip Johnston revealed these plans during a Thursday video conversation with HyperChange, subsequently reiterating the announcement via X over the following weekend.
Johnston disclosed that the organization intends to incorporate Bitcoin mining ASICs — specialized application-specific integrated circuits — into its second spacecraft payload, with deployment targeted for later in 2026.
Established in early 2024, Starcloud’s primary objective involves constructing orbital data centers designed to address increasing energy requirements driven by artificial intelligence applications.
The company achieved a significant milestone in November 2025 by successfully launching a satellite equipped with an Nvidia H100 GPU into orbit, marking the first instance of such advanced processing power operating in space. Johnston subsequently disclosed that one of the five GPUs on that mission experienced communication issues prior to liftoff.
Starcloud has additionally submitted regulatory documentation to the FCC requesting authorization for an 88,000-satellite network. The company’s orbital facilities rely predominantly on solar energy for power generation.
The Economic Advantage of ASICs Over GPUs in Orbit
According to Johnston, Bitcoin mining equipment presents superior economics for space-based operations compared to AI-focused GPUs, primarily due to substantial cost differentials.
“A 1-kilowatt B200 chip, it might cost $30,000. A 1-kilowatt ASIC is like $1,000,” he explained. This represents approximately a 30-fold cost advantage per kilowatt for ASICs versus GPUs.
He contends that Bitcoin’s present energy consumption — approximately 20 gigawatts on a continuous basis — renders keeping all mining operations Earth-based unsustainable over extended timeframes.
Nevertheless, Johnston conceded that the financial viability of space-based Bitcoin mining remains unproven. Mining profitability faces rapid degradation as more advanced, efficient equipment enters the market.
Starcloud isn’t alone in this pursuit; another venture called Intercosmic Energy has similarly been developing Bitcoin mining capabilities for space deployment.
Current Bitcoin Mining Landscape
Bitcoin’s value has declined approximately 48% from its peak of $126,080 achieved on October 6, 2025, significantly compressing mining profitability margins.
Conversely, mining difficulty has retreated 7% from its November record of 155.9 trillion units to approximately 145 trillion currently, offering miners modest relief.
In related developments, entrepreneurs Jose and Carlos Puente have unveiled a proposal for transmitting Bitcoin transactions to Mars utilizing optical communication links coupled with an innovative interplanetary timestamping mechanism. They emphasize that conducting actual Bitcoin mining on Mars would prove impractical given the substantial signal delay between planets.
Starcloud’s second spacecraft mission, which will transport the Bitcoin mining ASICs into orbit, remains scheduled for sometime later in 2026.
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