Lonestar, a company specializing in data storage and resilience, has partnered with semiconductor and storage manufacturer Phison to launch a groundbreaking data center infrastructure aboard a SpaceX rocket aimed at the moon.

The initiative involves deploying Phison’s Pascari solid-state drives (SSDs) — designed specifically for data centers — which will carry essential data from Lonestar’s clients. This mission on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to land on March 4, marking the inception of what could become the first lunar data center, with plans for future expansion to accommodate up to a petabyte of storage.

Chris Stott, the founder, chair, and CEO of Lonestar, shared with TechCrunch that the vision of establishing a data center in space started in 2018, well before the current surge in data center interest driven by artificial intelligence. He highlighted that clients were looking for off-Earth data storage solutions to safeguard against climate-related disasters and cyber threats.

“Data is our most valuable asset after humanity, and it’s often compared to oil,” Stott remarked. “In fact, it is even more precious.”

Choosing to collaborate with Phison was a logical step for Lonestar, as the latter already provides storage solutions for NASA-supported missions, including the Perseverance Rover on Mars. Additionally, Phison’s Imagine Plus service creates tailored storage solutions for unique projects.

“We were thrilled when we received the call from Chris,” remarked Michael Wu, Phison’s General Manager and President. “We customized a standard product to meet their specific requirements for this project, and it’s an exhilarating journey.”

Since forming their partnership in 2021, Lonestar and Phison have been focused on developing SSDs suitable for space environments. Stott mentioned that extensive testing was necessary before their inaugural launch, emphasizing the need for rock-solid technology that minimizes the potential for issues in space.

“This is why SSDs are crucial,” Stott emphasized. “They have no moving parts, making them a cutting-edge technology that enables us to serve governments — potentially every government and corporation around the globe.”

He noted that the technology was ready for launch by 2023, with a successful test launch occurring in early 2024.

The recent launch included a diverse array of data, such as information from multiple governments focused on disaster recovery and a space agency experimenting with large language models. Even the band Imagine Dragons contributed by sending a music video related to one of their tracks from the Starfield game soundtrack.

Lonestar is not alone in exploring the potential of space-based data centers. Another emerging player, Lumen Orbit, recently gained attention through Y Combinator’s Summer 2024 batch, successfully raising over $21 million in a notable seed round and rebranding as Starcloud.

As the demand for hardware driven by AI continues to rise, it’s likely more companies will seek out space-based storage solutions that offer near-limitless capacity and solar energy, advantages that traditional Earth-bound data centers cannot provide.

Looking ahead, Lonestar envisions collaborating with satellite manufacturer Sidus Space to develop six data storage spacecraft, with anticipated launches scheduled between 2027 and 2030.

“It’s incredible to witness the professionalism in this field,” Stott noted. “This is not the era of the Apollo program. Those early computers had just 2 kilobytes of RAM and 36 kilobytes of storage. Today, we’re in a position to fly 1 gigabyte of RAM and 8 terabytes of storage with Phison Pascari. It’s remarkable.”