{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/cowboy-space-unveils-big-iron-rocket-to-launch-20-000-ai-data-center-s","json":"https://digestai.news/story/cowboy-space-unveils-big-iron-rocket-to-launch-20-000-ai-data-center-s.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/cowboy-space-unveils-big-iron-rocket-to-launch-20-000-ai-data-center-s.md","slug":"cowboy-space-unveils-big-iron-rocket-to-launch-20-000-ai-data-center-s","headline":"Cowboy Space unveils Big Iron rocket to launch 20,000 AI data center satellites","summary":"Cowboy Space, a California-based company founded in 2024 by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt, announced its plan to deploy **20,000 AI data center satellites** in low Earth orbit (LEO). The project, called **Stampede**, relies on a reusable rocket named **Big Iron**, which doubles as the satellite itself after launch. Big Iron will stand **282 feet tall**, weigh **33,000 pounds**, and carry **five GPU racks** per satellite, delivering **1 megawatt of compute payload**—far exceeding SpaceX’s planned **Starmind** satellites, which offer **250 kW** each.\n\nThe rocket uses **Clydesdale engines** (nine in the first stage, one in the upper stage) powered by liquid oxygen and methane. Cowboy Space aims to launch **multiple times per day** from future launch sites called **Trailheads**, with the first Big Iron flight targeted for **December 2028**. The company also plans to offer commercial launches via **Big Iron Express**. Currently, Cowboy Space is testing its **Reason-1 satellite**, which demonstrates **laser-based power beaming** from orbit to Earth—a critical technology for space-based data centers.","keyPoints":["Cowboy Space plans to launch **20,000 AI data center satellites** in LEO by 2028, each with **1 MW of compute power**","Big Iron rocket is **282 feet tall**, reusable, and uses **methalox engines** like SpaceX’s Starship","First launch slated for **December 2028**, with commercial payloads offered via **Big Iron Express**"],"whyItMatters":"If successful, Cowboy Space’s Stampede constellation could enable **scalable, low-latency AI compute in orbit**, reducing ground infrastructure needs but raising questions about space debris and energy efficiency.","category":{"slug":"hardware","name":"Hardware & Compute","url":"https://digestai.news/category/hardware"},"entities":{"companies":["Cowboy Space","SpaceX","Aetherflux"],"models":[],"people":["Baiju Bhatt"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-28T11:40:45Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-28T11:40:45Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"space.com","title":"Cowboy Space unveils 'Big Iron' rocket to launch 20,000 AI data centers","url":"https://space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/cowboy-space-unveils-big-iron-rocket-to-launch-20-000-ai-data-centers","publishedAt":"2026-10-28T11:40:45Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[{"site":"Reddit","url":"https://www.reddit.com/r/singularity/comments/1xhlq66/cowboy_space_unveils_big_iron_rocket_to_launch/","points":null}],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Cowboy Space unveils Big Iron rocket to launch 20,000 AI data center satellites\", 28 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/cowboy-space-unveils-big-iron-rocket-to-launch-20-000-ai-data-center-s","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Cowboy Space unveils Big Iron rocket to launch 20,000 AI data center satellites","datePublished":"2026-10-28T11:40:45Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/cowboy-space-unveils-big-iron-rocket-to-launch-20-000-ai-data-center-s"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}