Dirty Bits in Low-Earth Orbit: The Carbon Footprint of Launching Computers

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.06250v1
• Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:14:20 GMT
• Title: Dirty Bits in Low-Earth Orbit: The Carbon Footprint of Launching Computers
• Authors: Robin Ohs, Gregory F. Stock, Andreas Schmidt, Juan A. Fraire, Holger Hermanns,
• Abstract summary: Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are increasingly proposed for communication and in-orbit computing.<n>This paper investigates the carbon footprint of computing in space, focusing on lifecycle emissions from launch over orbital operation to re-entry.
• Score: 1.8990839669542956
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are increasingly proposed for communication and in-orbit computing, achieving low-latency global services. However, their sustainability remains largely unexamined. This paper investigates the carbon footprint of computing in space, focusing on lifecycle emissions from launch over orbital operation to re-entry. We present ESpaS, a lightweight tool for estimating carbon intensities across CPU usage, memory, and networking in orbital vs. terrestrial settings. Three worked examples compare (i) launch technologies (state-of-the-art rocket vs. potential next generation) and (ii) operational emissions of data center workloads in orbit and on the ground. Results show that, even under optimistic assumptions, in-orbit systems incur significantly higher carbon costs - up to an order of magnitude more than terrestrial equivalents - primarily due to embodied emissions from launch and re-entry. Our findings advocate for carbon-aware design principles and regulatory oversight in developing sustainable digital infrastructure in orbit.

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