SpaceX Orbital Plans Spotlight NuScale Power's SMR Opportunity

The latest development frames SpaceX's 2027 orbital data center target as evidence of an acute AI power shortage, indirectly validating NuScale's small modular reactors as a nearer-term terrestrial solution. The narrative evolved from Sam Altman's sharp criticism of SpaceX's unproven space-compute concept, which pressured SPCX.OQ shares 5% lower to $138, to a broader energy-infrastructure debate. Analysts now cite DOE forecasts of 20% U.S. electricity-demand growth and data-center consumption potentially reaching 9% of generation by 2030, positioning NuScale as the sole U.S. firm with an approved SMR design.