Podcast Summary: T-Minus Space Daily

Episode: China to Develop Space-Based Data Centers
Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Maria Ramazas, N2K Networks

Episode Overview

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily highlights China's ambitious plan to develop gigawatt-class, space-based data centers and discusses key industry news from the commercial space sector. The episode also features an in-depth interview with Brian Miske, America's Space Leader for KPMG, focusing on the future trajectory of the space industry and the necessity for all sectors to actively engage with space-enabled innovation.

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. News Headlines and Analysis

[01:45 – 09:10]

• China's Space-Based Data Centers Announced

  • The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) unveiled plans for gigawatt-class space digital intelligence infrastructure as part of its 15th Five Year Plan.
  • These space data centers aim to integrate cloud, edge, and terminal device capabilities, moving energy-intensive AI processing to solar-powered orbital hubs by 2030.
  • Notable Quote:
    “CASC plans to shift the energy intensive burden of AI processing into orbit utilizing gigawatt class solar powered hubs to create an industrial scale space cloud by 2030.” – Maria Ramazas [02:52]

• Other Key Headlines

  • NASA’s Crew-12 Mission: Four astronauts begin pre-launch quarantine ahead of their February ISS mission.
  • SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch: SV09 GPS satellite launched to strengthen U.S. Space Force operations.
  • HADES Contract: U.S. Space Systems Command releases an RFP for hybrid satellite ground systems.
  • YorkSpace IPO: The company’s upsized initial public offering announced at $34 per share, trading under symbol YSS.

2. Interview: Brian Miske, KPMG — The Next Decade for Space Companies

[09:40 – 22:22]

Introduction & Preview

[09:49 – 10:47]

• Brian Miske introduces his role as KPMG’s America’s Lead for Space and outlines the “Ignition” group, which focuses on accelerating human-centered innovation.

The Expanding Space Economy

[10:47 – 11:38]

• Space is evolving into the world’s next layer of digital infrastructure.
• Comparisons to the early internet era, suggesting we are at a similar inflection point—with expanding opportunities spanning from the terrestrial to lunar and Martian economies.
• Notable Quote:
  “Space is becoming the next digital infrastructure for the world... an inflection point right now.” – Brian Miske [10:47]

“+Space” – Every Sector’s Future Includes Space

[11:54 – 12:49]

• The traditional aerospace-only view is outdated; all industries (banking, insurance, consumer products, etc.) are and will be impacted by space technologies.
• Vision for “Near Now” (next 12 months), “Near Next” (3-5 years), and a 10-year outlook for the space economy.
• Notable Quote:
  “Space cannot be relegated to just the classic aerospace and defense vertical. It impacts every single sector.” – Brian Miske [11:54]

Barriers and Accelerators to 2035 Space Economy Projections

[16:10 – 19:17]

• Miske introduces the "5 Rs" necessary for growth:
  • Resilience: Building redundancy and robust services.
  • Regulation: Creating globally meaningful frameworks to enable market-speed innovation.
  • Risk: Leveraging risk as an asset, not just a challenge.
  • Reach & Revenue: Expanding access and business models.
• Importance of expanding the regulatory conversation beyond national frameworks.
• Emphasis on ecosystem building involving startups, academia, commercial industry, and government.

Changing Narratives Around “Space Is Hard”

[19:17 – 20:20]

• The phrase “space is hard” should become more ambitious and aspirational—not a deterrent.
• The need for organizations to use risk management as a competitive advantage.
• Notable Quote:
  “We need to change the narrative to be more ambitious, more aspirational. And I see plus space as an opportunity... for humanity.” – Brian Miske [19:21]

Experimentation & Funding in Space

[20:20 – 22:22]

• The necessity of “experimenting with intention,” learning from failures, and adapting quickly.
• Transitioning from primarily government-funded space projects to significant private capital interest, including tokenization of space assets.
• Emerging synergy between blockchain and space data.
• Notable Quote:
  “To compete in a market of near constant disruption, you need to experiment with intention and learn from that.” – Brian Miske [20:20]
  • On blockchain: “Whoever thought that the two [blockchain and space] would go together?” [22:21]

3. Science and Technology Updates

[23:12 – 25:50]

• NASA’s ArcStone Instrument Mission Success
  • Quiet yet vital achievement in solar calibration from orbit for improved climate and Earth monitoring.
  • Importance of often-overlooked engineering triumphs in supporting broader space infrastructure.

Notable Quotes

• “CASC plans to shift the energy intensive burden of AI processing into orbit utilizing gigawatt class solar powered hubs to create an industrial scale space cloud by 2030.”
  – Maria Ramazas, [02:52]

• “Space is becoming the next digital infrastructure for the world... an inflection point right now.”
  – Brian Miske, [10:47]

• “Space cannot be relegated to just the classic aerospace and defense vertical. It impacts every single sector.”
  – Brian Miske, [11:54]

• “We need to change the narrative to be more ambitious, more aspirational. And I see plus space as an opportunity... for humanity.”
  – Brian Miske, [19:21]

• “To compete in a market of near constant disruption, you need to experiment with intention and learn from that.”
  – Brian Miske, [20:20]

• “Whoever thought that the two [blockchain and space] would go together?”
  – Brian Miske, [22:21]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:45 – Top space news headlines
• 02:52 – China’s plan for space-based data centers explained
• 09:40 – Interview with Brian Miske begins
• 10:47 – The digital infrastructure perspective
• 11:54 – “+Space” concept and future sector integration
• 16:10 – Barriers and “5 Rs” for 2035 space vision
• 19:21 – Rethinking “space is hard”
• 20:20 – Experimentation and funding landscape
• 23:12 – NASA’s ArcStone accomplishment discussed

Tone & Style

The conversation is accessible, energetic, and forward-looking, targeting both space industry insiders and a broader business audience keen on understanding transformative trends in space, technology, and innovation.

Summary Takeaways

• China’s space data center initiative signals a competitive leap in orbital computing, integrating AI and renewable energy.
• All sectors must adopt a ‘space strategy’, mirroring the ubiquitous digital transformation of the late 1990s; space is no longer the domain of just aerospace.
• Regulation, resilience, and risk management will determine which organizations and nations thrive in the space economy.
• Private capital, experimentation, and blockchain are positioned as the next frontiers in realizing the trillion-dollar-plus space economy.
• The episode encourages a mindset shift—from viewing space as exceptionally hard, to seeing it as a new arena for cross-sector innovation.