Starcloud 1 (Lumen 1)

Starcloud 1 [Starcloud]

Starcloud 1, formerly known as Lumen 1 is a test satellite built by Astro Digital (USA) for Starcloud (USA). It was launched aboard a SpaceX rocket and successfully separated into a 325 km orbit. The spacecraft is based on the Corvus-Micro satellite bus and carries the first Nvidia H100 GPU ever deployed in space.

Starcloud-1 serves as a technology demonstrator to test in-orbit data processing using advanced artificial intelligence hardware. The mission aims to validate the operational capabilities of the Nvidia H100 GPU under space conditions, focusing on high-performance inference and fine-tuning for other spacecraft.

The mission also supports Starcloud's and neocloud Crusoe’s plans to explore space-based cloud computing services. Limited commercial access to Starcloud-1's systems is expected to be offered from early 2027. If successful, the mission will form the basis for more advanced orbital data centers, including a proposed 5 GW platform powered by a solar array of approximately 4 km².

The 60 kg Starcloud-1 is built on Astro Digital’s Corvus-Micro bus, a compact platform designed for rapid deployment and short-term missions. Astro Digital provides the satellite platform, while Starcloud integrates the computing payload. The spacecraft incorporates state-of-the-art processing technology, including the first Nvidia H100 GPU to operate in orbit, supported by onboard systems for power management, communications, and attitude control.

The satellite has a mass of approximately 60 kg and dimensions comparable to a small household refrigerator. It operates in a low Earth orbit at an altitude of 325 km. The expected operational lifetime is 11 months, after which the spacecraft will perform a controlled deorbit and disintegrate in the atmosphere.

Attitude control ensures stable pointing and reliable communication with ground stations. Reports confirm the spacecraft entered nominal operations, with stable attitude control, healthy power systems, and full battery levels. The onboard GPU is designed to provide high-performance computing capabilities directly in orbit, reducing reliance on ground-based data processing.

Starcloud-1 was launched on a SpaceX rocket and successfully deployed into its target orbit on 2 November 2025. Following separation, contact was established with the satellite, confirming full functionality and entry into nominal operations. The mission marks a milestone for space-based high-performance computing and the first deployment of an Nvidia H100 GPU in orbit.