Could SpaceX’s orbital compute avoid the political headwinds facing data centers?

According to a research note from Evercore ISI, growing bipartisan political opposition to terrestrial data centers is strengthening the strategic case for SpaceX's orbital compute initiatives. Analyst Kutgun Mural highlighted escalating regional pushback across the United States, pointing out that Texas has paused up to 1,800 data center projects pending audits, while Pennsylvania is withholding permits until developers secure full local approvals. Recent polling indicates that 75% of Americans now oppose having data centers built near their communities, a sharp increase from 42% just a year earlier. Evercore framed the mounting political controversy as a headline risk heading into midterm elections that could broadly pressure the artificial intelligence sector. While SpaceX manages terrestrial infrastructure comparatively well by generating power behind the meter and funding grid upgrades, it still faces local environmental and permitting headwinds. Consequently, Evercore views space-based orbital compute as a game-changing alternative that offers significant cost and time-to-market advantages while sidestepping land and power permitting gridlocks, potentially eliminating SpaceX's need for added terrestrial compute capacity beyond 2029.