American Startup to Unveil SpaceX Falcon 9 Replacement for Launching 20,000 Orbital Data Centers
The first Big Iron unit is expected to be built by the end of 2027, with its maiden launch scheduled for 2028
Big Iron is designed as an 86-meter-long two-stage rocket equipped with a reusable first-stage booster. It is intended to deliver over 15 metric tons to sun-synchronous orbit.
Cowboy Space CEO Bayu Bhatt claims that negotiations for a future replacement for the Falcon 9 rockets have already begun. For the Stampede project, the startup has submitted an application to the FCC for the deployment of 20,000 servers or mini-data centers.
The upper stage is initially being developed as an autonomous server but can be repurposed for client payloads. Additionally, the company has separately requested permission to transmit energy back to Earth, which will be generated by solar panels in space.
For now, Big Iron remains a project: the stated parameters and timelines still need to be validated through testing.
