A former NASA engineer and Google cloud expert has criticized the idea of deploying data centers in space, labeling it as impractical and economically unfeasible. The engineer, with a PhD in space electronics, points out significant challenges such as power generation, thermal management, radiation resistance, and communication limitations. He notes that powering high-performance GPUs and TPUs in space is prohibitively expensive, with the International Space Station's solar arrays only supporting around 200 GPUs. The engineer further explains that cooling in space is more complex than on Earth, requiring advanced radiative systems that increase satellite size and cost. Additionally, radiation exposure necessitates radiation-hardened designs, which reduce performance. He concludes that while technically possible, space-based data centers are not economically viable and offer minimal performance benefits over terrestrial options.