# Project Sunrise

**Type:** Orbital data center constellation  
**Developer:** Blue Origin  
**Status:** FCC filing stage (as of March 2026)  
**Scale:** Up to 51,600 satellites  

## Overview

Project Sunrise is Blue Origin's proposed orbital data center constellation filed with the FCC on March 19, 2026. The constellation would operate in sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at 500-1,800 km altitude, using TeraWave optical inter-satellite links for high-throughput backbone communications.

## Technical Specifications

- **Orbit:** Sun-synchronous, 500-1,800 km altitude
- **Constellation size:** Up to 51,600 satellites
- **Orbital planes:** 5-10 km altitude separation
- **Satellites per plane:** 300-1,000
- **Communications:** TeraWave optical ISL mesh, Ka-band TT&C for ground links
- **Power:** Solar-powered

## Architecture

- TeraWave optical ISL mesh for high-throughput backbone
- Traffic routing through ground stations via TeraWave and other mesh networks
- Simultaneous filing for TeraWave as communications backbone infrastructure

## Stated Rationale

Blue Origin claims Project Sunrise will "ease mounting pressure on US communities and natural resources by shifting energy- and water-intensive compute away from terrestrial data centres, reducing demand on land, water supplies and electrical grids." The solar-powered architecture bypasses terrestrial power grid constraints.

## Timeline

- **2026-03-19** — FCC filing submitted
- **2027** (projected) — First 5,000+ TeraWave satellites planned
- **2030s** (industry assessment) — Realistic deployment timeframe per SpaceNews analysis

## Context

- Filed 7 weeks after SpaceX's 1M satellite filing (January 30, 2026)
- Represents ~22% of total LEO orbital capacity (~240,000 satellites per MIT TR)
- Unlike SpaceX's 1M filing, 51,600 is within physical LEO capacity limits
- No demonstrated thermal management or radiation hardening approach disclosed in filing
- SSO 500-1800km altitude represents harsher radiation environment than Starcloud-1's 325km validation orbit

## Sources

- SpaceNews, March 20, 2026: "Blue Origin joins the orbital data center race"