The age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing, and the demand for digital infrastructure is growing exponentially. As more devices connect to the Internet and millions of AI agents are being trained, data is being exchanged across continents, devices, and applications like never before. Simultaneously, the surge in data creates a greater demand for data centers. As a result, in many cities, power supplies are stretched thin, vacant lots are limited, or bureaucracies are moving too slowly. In response, the digital world is reaching for the stars—quite literally. Leading companies in terrestrial digital infrastructure are already expanding into space, setting the stage for a new era of space-based compute and connectivity. And where networks go, interconnection must follow.
COMPUTE AMONG THE STARS
Low-Earth orbit (LEO) has already experienced significant advancements in digital infrastructure in recent years. Take satellite constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink, for example: this is infrastructure designed to deliver reliable Internet connectivity to people anywhere on the planet. No matter if you’re camping on a faraway mountain, flying across the Pacific Ocean, or living somewhere without fiber Internet, thousands of satellites orbiting above can help you stay connected globally. This idea has encouraged other organizations, like Amazon with its Leo program and the European Union’s Iris² initiative, to aim for similar objectives. These ambitions extend to India, where, as of April 2025, more than ten satellite operators had shown interest and applied for authorization to provide satellite capacity. Today, we’re seeing a growing number of network operators enter space, slowly but surely creating a level of diversity much like what happened on Earth when the Internet first appeared.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ivo Ivanov is Chief Executive Officer of DE-CIX and Chairman of the Board of the DE-CIX Group AG. Prior to these positions, Ivanov was Chief Operating Officer of
DE-CIX and Chief Executive Officer of DE-CIX International, where he was responsible for the global business activities of the world’s leading Internet Exchange operator. Ivanov has more than 20 years of experience in the regulatory, legal, and commercial Internet environment. Having joined DE-CIX in 2007, he has in recent years been deeply involved in the establishment of DE-CIX sites in North and South America, Southern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as several DE-CIX consultancy projects in Africa, Asia, and Europe.
