Why the Future of Data Might Be Off Earth

Data centers in space are a hot topic. Hyperscale data center builders like Google and Crusoe are planning space-based facilities, and tech veterans like Eric Schmidt, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk also have ambitions for deploying data centers in space.

All these headlines have folks wondering - are data centers in space a pipe dream, or the next phase in digital infrastructure?

To find out, I sought out someone who has actually deployed data storage on the moon. Chris Stott is the executive chairman of Lonestar Data Holdings, whose mission is to provide data storage in outer space, including on the surface of the moon.

On today's show, Chris shares about Lonestar's missions to the moon, what's involved in deploying IT infrastructure in space, how data sovereignty works above the earth, and the future growth prospects for data centers in outer space. This was a really fun conversation, which I think you'll enjoy.

00:00 - Data Centers in Space - The Final Frontier?

01:30 - Meet Chris Stott of Lonestar Data. Chris shares about his career in the space industry.

03:00 - Why Lonestar Data Holdings was founded, and details on its lunar missions

05:25 - Why the Moon for Data Storage?

10:20 - How Operating in Space is Different - Cooling, Radiation and more

16:20 - Data Sovereignty in Space (and how it differs from Terrestrial Data Storage)

19:00 - Why are There so Many Space Data Center Initiatives?

23:45 - Free Power? A Closer Look at Solar Arrays in Space

26:40 - The Road Ahead: Lonestar Data's Roadmap for Data Storage in Space

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years.

Subscribe to our channel for more insights:
https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

NOW ON SUBSTACK!

Check out the Data Center Richness Substack:
https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web:
Data Center Richness https://datacenterrichness.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Lonestar Data Holdings
https://www.lonestarlunar.com/

Lonestar on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lonestar-data-holdings/

Lonestar Data Makes it to the Moon
https://www.datacenterfrontier.com/edge-computing/article/33037610/lonestar-data-makes-it-to-the-moon-on-im-1-lunar-lander

Chris Stott on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-stott-aa0820/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:
Data Center Innovation in the Age of AI
https://youtu.be/P_0U0SLFJc8?si=Khxv-My10V0V3slU

Why Every Data Center Pro is Talking About Power Now
https://youtu.be/GJiBqvUl5rU?si=KqZsV0pkwb_aywdq

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

The data center landscape is changing fast, as AI drives innovation in both energy and cooling. In a industry dominated by big companies and big requirements, it's a tricky time for data center startups.

Yuval Bachar is the founder of ECL, a startup that set out to pioneer hydrogen-powered data centers. With the arrival of ChatGPT and the AI data center boom, ECL has changed along with the industry.

Today on the Data Center Richness podcast, Yuval is here to share how ECL has moved to the cutting-edge of AI, deploying the very latest NVIDIA high-density racks in a hydrogen-powered, liquid-cooled data center. It's a story that reinforces the importance of an engineering mindset, and always being ready to innovate.

Let's get started ….

CHAPTERS GO HERE

00:00 - How data center startups navigate in an era of big, fast change

01:45 - Meet Yuval Bachar and learn about his "Data Center Journey"

09:30 - Managing Hydrogen-Powered Liquid-Cooled NVIDIA Racks

15:35 - Building Out the Executive Team at ECL

18:00 - Growth Opportunities in Texas with Natural Gas and Hydrogen

22:00 - The Shape of Inference and the Role of Data Centers

28:15 - The Evolution of Modular Data Center Design

31:40 - Cooling: How Dense Can We Go?

36:25 - The Road Ahead

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years.

Subscribe to our channel for more insights:
https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

NOW ON SUBSTACK!

Check out the Data Center Richness Substack:
https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web:
Data Center Richness
https://datacenterrichness.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

ECL Web Site
https://ecldc.com/

Yuval Bachar on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuvalbachar/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

How Factory-Built Designs Speed AI Deployments
https://youtu.be/hZ6vuoDJ8Nc?si=qIhnFjV_CvhSDqst

Data Center Innovation in the Age of AI
https://youtu.be/P_0U0SLFJc8?si=Khxv-My10V0V3slU

Why Every Data Center Pro is Talking About Power Now
https://youtu.be/GJiBqvUl5rU?si=KqZsV0pkwb_aywdq

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

AI is changing the way we design and build data centers. Meanwhile, cloud computing and enterprise companies continue to need lots of IT capacity.

This creates a challenge for the teams that design data centers, who must navigate rapid change amid tensions between workloads and technologies. AI or cloud? Air-cooled or liquid-cooled?

This is Sara Martin's world. Sara is an Associate Principal at HED, an integrated design end engineering firm that works with many data center clients. On today's podcast Sara provides an inside look at how the rise of AI is creating new challenges, and how leading data centers are using design to build for the future in a period of big fast change.

Here's an overview of the conversation with Data Center Richness host Rich Miller and Sara Martin of HED:

00:00 - Why AI Challenges the Status Quo in Design

01:15 - Sara Martin shares her Data Center Journey, and what HED does.

05:10 - The AI Transition and Modular Designs

10:00 - Hybrid Cooling in Multi-Tenant Data Centers

14:45 - The Pace of Change as a Design Challenge

21:20 - Data Center Water Usage and Community Pushback

27:00 - Trends in Closed-Loop vs. Evaporative Cooling

32:30 - The Future Path of Power and Cooling

39:00 - Supply Chains and Why Modular Matters

At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years.

Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

NOW ON SUBSTACK!

Check out the Data Center Richness Substack: https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterrichness.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

HED's Data Center Portfolio https://hed.co/stories/mission-critical

Sara Martin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-martin-7b61b546/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

How Factory-Built Designs Speed AI Deployments https://youtu.be/hZ6vuoDJ8Nc?si=qIhnFjV_CvhSDqst

Data Center Innovation in the Age of AI https://youtu.be/P_0U0SLFJc8?si=Khxv-My10V0V3slU

Can Data Centers Be Good Neighbors? https://youtu.be/syRpAj9aCSg?si=4r6IQJEjukwQ67Eu

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

The Internet is a network of networks. And it's the connections between these networks that can transform a local business into a global enterprise. From the early days of the Internet, Equinix has been one of the primary places where these connections happen.

Equinix has made nearly half a million interconnections between the 10,000 companies using its 270 data centers around the world, making it a key player in the growth of colocation services and cloud computing.

How is Equinix positioned for the AI boom? To find out, we sat down with DD Dasgupta, the Vice President of Product Marketing at Equinix. DD shared his take on the power of ecosystems in the AI economy, the future of inference, and how Equinix is helping enterprise customers chart their way through the AI landscape.

Here's an overview of the conference between Data Center Richness host Rich Miller and DD Dasgupta of Equinix.

00:00 - Intro to DD Dasgupta and his Data Center Journey

02:45 - Overview of Equinix and its global data center ecosystem

04:00 - The AI Opportunity for Equinix and "Equinix 3.0"

07:25 - How Enterprise Customers are Using AI

12:55 - The Ecosystem Outlook - Which Verticals Are Using AI Most?

16:15 - The Equinix Take on Where Inference Will Live

20:25 - Solution Validation Labs - Test Before You Deploy

At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years.

Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

NOW ON SUBSTACK!

Check out the Data Center Richness Substack: https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web: Data Center Richness https://datacenterrichness.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Equinix https://www.equinix.com/

Distributed AI at Equinix https://www.equinix.com/solutions/distributed-ai

Rich Miller on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

Why Data Centers Are Moving to Power-Rich Locations https://youtu.be/AlIwlsiLa5M

Data Center Innovation in the Age of AI https://youtu.be/P_0U0SLFJc8?si=Khxv-My10V0V3slU

How Will Data Centers Be Different in 2030 https://youtu.be/IUO8fUWNoX8?si=FmoHM5EuAjOAlnpn

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

Thumbnail Image via Equinix

One of the big data center stories of 2025 is the big shift of capacity from crypto to AI computing. In recent months, companies that got their start in crypto infrastructure have signed deals with the largest players in hyperscale AI, winning contracts worth billions of dollars.

One of those is Applied Digital, which has been one of the busiest players in 2025, singing deals for 600 megawatts of capacity on its data center campus in North Dakota.

Our guest today is Wes Cummins, the founder and CEO of Applied Digital, who provides an insider's view on the journey from bitcoin to AI, and how Applied Digital made North Dakota a hyperscale data center market.

Here's an overview of the discussion between Data Center Richness host Rich Miller and Applied Digital CEO Wes Cummins:

00:00 - From Bitcoin to Hyperscale: Wes Cummins' Data Center Journey

02:00 - 2025: A Big Year for Applied Digital

08:15 - 5 Pillars of Data Center Success (Why Capital Matters)

15:25 - Why North Dakota?

20:00 - The Crypto to HPC to AI Transition

23:00 - The Design Differences Between Crypto and AI

31:20 - Flexibility for the Inference-Powered Future

36:45 - The Road Ahead: More Hyperscalers in More Places

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more insights:
https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

Check out the Data Center Richness Substack:
https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web:
Data Center Richness
https://datacenterrichness.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Applied Digital
https://www.applieddigital.com/

200 MW Hyperscale Lease Announcement
https://ir.applieddigital.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/132/applied-digital-announces-5-billion-ai-factory-lease-with

Wes Cummins on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-cummins-63114481/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

Why Data Centers Are Moving to Power-Rich Locations
https://youtu.be/AlIwlsiLa5M

Why Every Data Center Pro is Talking About Power
https://youtu.be/GJiBqvUl5rU

A Closer Look at Two-Phase Liquid Cooling
https://youtu.be/w_Us94JgYzc

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

There's been Gigawatts of on-site power procured for data centers this year. And there's likely much more to come as the rise of AI boosts demand for data center capacity.

Today on Data Center Richness our topic is on-site power and the new energy landscape. Our guest is KC Mares of Megawatt Consulting, who has worked with many of the most consequential companies and projects in the history of the data center industry.

At a time when site selection and power availability are evolving rapidly, KC is helping data center operators adapt to this new world, especially in deploying on-site generation. Mares believes on-site power is not just a bridge solution, but a key strategy for the future as data centers diversify their power resources.

Today on Data Center Richness, KC shares his insights on the energy landscape, the growth of on-site power, and the road ahead for digital infrastructure. Here's an overview of our conversation:

00:00 - The Rise of On-Site Power at Data Centers

01:02 - About KC Mares and his Data Center Journey

04:00 - The State of Data Center Site Selection

08:50 - How AI Has Changed The Equation

18:12 - Turbine Availability & Scaling On-Site Power

27:20 - Energy Storage as an Enabler for Solar and Wind

38:50 - Community Relations and Data Centers in the Headlines

45:15 - The Road Ahead: How AI Can Be A Force for A Better Grid

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

NOW ON SUBSTACK!

Check out the Data Center Richness Substack:
https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web:
Data Center Richness
https://datacenterpodcast.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Megawatt Consulting
https://megawattconsulting.com/

KC Mares on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kcmares/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

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Why Every Data Center Pro is Talking About Power (Dan Crosby)
https://youtu.be/GJiBqvUl5rU?si=PyyLwfBINXWtI8oo

Unlocking Power for AI Growth (Tyler Norris)
https://youtu.be/D6-1QxRRxoA?si=VHUbBdImjKbqAs4g

Why Data Centers Are Turning to Bloom Energy
https://youtu.be/Z-udNWq2bAg?si=vHOizsz7AqT5M7eQ

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

Data centers are economic engines of the new economy. Every data center starts as an idea, with a location attached. It takes a lot of funding, planning and execution to create these complex facilities.

Today on Data Center Richness, we share a behind-the-scenes look at how investors and developers work together to bring a data center project from concept to reality. Our guests are Sabey Data Centers President Tim Mirick and Jeff Kanne, the President and CEO of National Real Estate Advisors. The two companies have been working together since 2010, with National Real Estate providing the capital to enable Sabey its footprint across the US.

It's a fascinating conversation that provides a glimpse into how these relationships work, and how investment strategy and company culture translate into new to support data center customers. And how those models adapt to the super-sized development environment of 2025 and beyond.

Here's an overview of the discussion, hosted by Rich Miller of Data Center Richness.

00:00 - Intro: Why Capital Matters in Data Center Development

01:30 - Tim Mirick's Data Center Journey, and the Sabey Data Centers story.

05:00 - Meet Jeff Kanne, and National Real Estate Advisors

08:15 - The Investor Perspective: How NREA Evaluates Development Opportunities

11:20 - The Operator Perspective: How Sabey Approaches Project Development

14:45 - Sabey's Growth Story - Expanding Beyond the Pacific Northwest

22:50 - The Next Phase: Why Austin?

26:25 - The Current AI Boom: Assessing Risk and Opportunity

31:50 - Developing Strategy in a Complex Market

36:00 - Customer Models - Enterprise vs. Hyperscale vs Neoclouds

39:45 - The Road Ahead: How Sabey and NREA See the Future

----------------------------------------------------------------------

At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights:
https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

NOW ON SUBSTACK!
Check out the Data Center Richness Substack:
https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web:
Data Center Richness
https://datacenterpodcast.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW

Sabey Data Centers
https://sabeydatacenters.com/

National Real Estate Advisors
https://natadvisors.com/

Sabey Expands Power Availability Across Key Campuses
https://sabeydatacenters.com/news/sabey-expands-power-availability-across-key-campuses

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

What's Next in Data Center Investing?
https://youtu.be/XITavRKbXF4?si=eDV53Vj3a0bj9AmM

What's Next for Data Center Real Estate?
https://youtu.be/H2FFJfm5wug?si=ITkZ2ILcyrqyXjn6

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound
https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx

What Data Center Innovation Looks Like in the Age of AI

Data center development is moving fast, and so is the computing technology that lives inside them. The AI boom is accelerating just about everything, placing a premium on innovation. So what does data center innovation look like in 2025 and beyond?

To explore this question, we turned to Phill Lawson-Shanks, the Chief Innovation Officer at Aligned Data Centers. Phill has been involved in transformative work in the sector for years, from the edge of the network to the center of the data hall.

On today's show, Phill shares how modular designs are helping Aligned keep pace with new technology and new hardware, adapting to changes in power and cooling infrastructure, and all the while staying keenly focused on sustainability.

00:00 - Intro and Phill's "Data Center Journey"

04:16 - What innovation looks like in the age of AI

08:45 - The importance of modularity in an evolving design environment

14:20 - Managing infrastructure through the cloud to AI transition

19:45 - Extending innovation to site selection and the power landscape

24:30 - Prioritizing sustainabilty in a rapidly-evolving energy industry

27:30 - Future-proofing cooling infrastructure

31:30 - The Next 5 Years - How Phill sees it

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At Data Center Richness we demystify technology and explain why data centers matter, and what comes next for the Internet, cloud computing and AI. Host Rich Miller is a journalist and analyst who has been covering the data center sector for 25 years. Subscribe to our channel for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@DataCenterRichness?sub_confirmation=1

NOW ON SUBSTACK!

Check out the Data Center Richness Substack:
https://datacenterrichness.substack.com/

On the Web:
Data Center Richness
https://datacenterpodcast.com/

LINKS FROM THIS SHOW
Aligned Data Centers
https://aligneddc.com/

Phil Lawson-Shanks on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/plawsonshanks/

Rich Miller on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterfrontier/

RELATED VIDEOS:

How Aligned is Tackling the Data Center Density Challenge
https://youtu.be/_zeLScBMDxk?si=k6t3xZIJKfWbBdjl

A Closer Look at Two-Phase Liquid Cooling
https://youtu.be/w_Us94JgYzc

How Will Data Centers Be Different in 2030
https://youtu.be/IUO8fUWNoX8?si=QjhHEBlvx3fMR0Z

All video by Data Center Richness.

Supplemental music via Epidemic Sound https://share.epidemicsound.com/60o8qx