SoftBank's Son Questions Musk's Orbital Data Center Concept on June 28

On June 28, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son publicly questioned Elon Musk's orbital data center proposal at the company's shareholders meeting, arguing that constructing data centers in space is both costly and time-consuming. Son emphasized that "in the AI race, the next few years matter far more than what happens a decade from now."

Analysts noted that the concept aligns closely with SpaceX's commercial interests—orbital infrastructure requires continuous satellite launches, securing steady orders for SpaceX's rocket business. Currently, SpaceX commands 80-90% of the global launch market, though roughly 20-40% of that share depends on Starlink satellite missions. SpaceX is simultaneously expanding its computing rental services, having signed partnerships with Google and Anthropic.