MW Jeff Bezos says Elon Musk's timeline for data centers in space is 'probably not right'

By William Gavin

'Some of the timelines we hear are very short,' Bezos said of the technology core to SpaceX's IPO, but they are a 'little ambitious'

Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos is a major proponent of the space industry.

Everyone wants to put artificial-intelligence data centers in space, but no one actually knows when that will be possible, according to Jeff Bezos.

"Some of the timelines we hear are very short. They're probably not right," Bezos said in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday, noting that operating orbital data centers within the next two or three years, as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has forecast, is "probably a little ambitious."

"I think what Elon would tell you is ... you know, 'If you want it to be six years, say it's three,'" Bezos said. He added that he doesn't think anyone knows how long it will take for data centers in space to be a reality, but that "it will happen."

Musk, Bezos and others view space-based data centers as a potential solution to the growing energy needs of AI companies. But there are a few roadblocks, including the high cost of AI chips, Bezos said. Plus, while rocket launches are generally less expensive than they used to be, they're still not cheap.

Read: Elon Musk ditched California, but the state will get a much-needed win from SpaceX's IPO

That's why Bezos's Amazon (AMZN) and a few other AI hyperscalers will likely book capital expenditures of $785 billion this year and nearly $1 trillion in 2027, according to a recent forecast from Moody's Ratings. Much of that is expected to be put toward AI data centers, such as Amazon's planned $25 billion campus in Mississippi.

"The timeline is very different. You're going to need as much terrestrial data-center capacity as you can arrange in the near term," Bezos said on Wednesday.

Blue Origin has outlined a plan to send 51,600 data-center satellites to low-Earth orbit as part of its Project Sunrise, while SpaceX is seeking regulatory approval to launch up to 1 million satellites. Alphabet-owned Google $(GOOG)$ $(GOOGL)$ is working with Planet Labs $(PL)$, and potentially SpaceX, on its own plan.

Nvidia (NVDA) is also working with a few startups on space-based computing power, including Starcloud and Cowboy Space. Starcloud has asked the Federal Communications Commission for approval to create a constellation of up to 88,000 satellites operating as a data center, while Cowboy has filed a plan that calls for up to 20,000 spacecraft.

None of those efforts will be cheap. That's partly why SpaceX is looking to raise as much as $80 billion in an initial public offering that is expected to come next month, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company, which is also targeting a valuation of up to $2 trillion, is expected to publicly file its IPO paperwork as soon as this week.

Bezos, when asked by CNBC about SpaceX's IPO, said it's tough to tell how much of the anticipated valuation is based on the company's financial health and how much is based on the company's future plans. "One thing I can tell you for sure is that space is going to be a gigantic industry," Bezos said.

He also confirmed reports that Blue Origin is considering bringing on other investors for the first time since he launched the company in 2000. Bezos has been footing the bill for the last 25 years, largely by selling Amazon shares.

"It's a good time, actually, to start thinking about the future and bring on some other outside investors," he told CNBC.

See more: A major union warns regulators that Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO 'defies financial logic'

-William Gavin

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May 20, 2026 10:42 ET (14:42 GMT)

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