<div id="readability-page-1"><div>Nvidia announced the launch of computing platforms for orbital data centers on Monday during its GTC 2026 conference, a highly anticipated next step for artificial intelligence in space.&#34;Space computing, the final frontier, has arrived,&#34; said CEO Jensen Huang. &#34;As we deploy satellite constellations and explore deeper into space, intelligence must live wherever data is generated.&#34;In a press release, the company said that its Vera Rubin Space-1 Module, which includes the IGX Thor and Jetson Orin, will be used on space missions led by multiple companies. The chips are specifically &#34;engineered for size-, weight- and power-constrained environments.&#34;Partners include Axiom Space, Starcloud and Planet.Huang said Nvidia is working with partners on a new computer for orbital data centers, but there are still engineering hurdles to overcome. &#34;In space, there's no convection, there's just radiation,&#34; Huang said during his GTC keynote, &#34;and so we have to figure out how to cool these systems out in space, but we've got lots of great engineers working on it.&#34;The data center buildout that powers AI demand has been blamed for soaring electricity costs. Sending orbital data centers into space has been viewed as one solution, but high costs and low availability of rocket launches remain a barrier.Still, AI companies are racing to make use of space's virtually unlimited solar power. In November, Google announced its 'Project Suncatcher' initiative, exploring the concept of compute in space.Elon Musk's xAI was acquired by SpaceX last month in a $1.25 trillion deal with an eye toward building out data centers in space. The company is one of Nvidia's largest customers. SpaceX asked the Federal Communications Commission for approval to launch 1 million satellites for AI centers in January, a plan that has been opposed by scientists for environmental threats, including light pollution and orbital debris.CNBC's Lora Kolodny contributed to this report.</div><div>Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.</div></div>

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Nvidia has launched the Vera Rubin Space-1 chip system for orbital AI data centers at the GTC 2026 conference, with CEO Jensen Huang declaring that "space computing has arrived." The system, designed for space missions, includes the IGX Thor and Jetson Orin chips, optimized for constrained environments. Nvidia is collaborating with partners like Axiom Space and Starcloud to address engineering challenges, particularly cooling in space. Despite high costs and launch availability issues, AI companies are eager to harness space's solar power for data centers, with initiatives like Google's 'Project Suncatcher' and SpaceX's satellite plans.

- NVIDIA announced a new computing platform for orbital data centers at the 2026 GTC conference, aiming to advance AI in space.  
- The Vera Rubin Space-1 module, including chips designed for constrained environments, will support multiple space missions in partnership with companies like Axiom Space and Planet.  
- Despite challenges such as cooling systems in zero convection areas and high launch costs for satellites, there is a growing interest in harnessing solar energy in space for AI data centers.

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Nvidia announces Vera Rubin Space-1 chip system for orbital AI data centers