SpaceX Shows Lunar Mass Driver for Tesla Chips and Orbital Computing

Tesla chips may be used for orbital computing

SpaceX has released a new video presenting the concept for an electromagnetic accelerator it intends to build on the Moon.

Lunar mass driver concept

The proposed system is a so-called mass driver: an installation designed to accelerate large objects and send them into orbit without conventional rocket launches.

Under the concept, it would launch substantial satellites equipped with artificial intelligence computing modules. These spacecraft could establish an orbital data-processing infrastructure, reducing reliance on ground-based data centres and rocket logistics.

Tesla chips could reportedly be used in these satellites. If the concept is put into practice, sending payloads from the lunar surface could be cheaper and more efficient than traditional methods.

Orbital computing and Terafab

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, said that within three years it would be more economical to place computing capacity for artificial intelligence (AI) models in space rather than on Earth.

On 22 March 2026, Tesla unveiled Terafab, working with SpaceX and xAI to construct the world’s largest microchip manufacturing plant, with a target annual computing capacity of 1 terawatt for the chips it produces.

SpaceX has also shown images of satellites for the ambitious Terafab orbital data-centre project for the first time.