Comment by samtp

> Setting up data centers in orbit

Still have yet to hear how data centers in space are actually supposed to be a good thing when cooling them is much harder than on earth because they are in a near vacuum with much less heat dissipation.

> Setting up facilities to beam down energy to earths surface could also be an opportunity

Also interested to learn how this is done without creating a death ray with potentially catastrophic consequences

So if all the current telcos in the US lose all of their customers and SpaceX captures 100% of them without degrading the current margin/pricing at all, they are 5% of their way to the $4.3t goal. And the only way I can see that happening is from government mandate - which if things don't change I guess never say never. But still a very very very long way off