LEO megaconstellations squeezed by parts shortage and AI data centre demand
TechNews reports that the wave of LEO satellite "megaconstellation" projects from Amazon, Blue Origin and others is colliding with shortages of critical components and materials, and with competition from AI data centres for electrical gear such as switchgear and transformers. A 54-page supply-chain report published in March 2026 by the Aerospace Industries Association and PwC, based on about 30 industry interviews, identified nine bottleneck components including valves, actuators, switchgear and transformers, while Novaspace partner Carla Filotico said China holds roughly 98% of global gallium nitride capacity. AIA's Steve Jordan Tomasweski said a space company may order 10 units while a data centre orders 10,000, and argued governments should give space firms priority allocation; several experts expect some megaconstellation plans to fall short and the industry to consolidate.
It shows how the sheer scale of AI infrastructure buying is tightening scarce power and materials supply chains for other high-tech manufacturers.


亞馬遜(Amazon)計劃在軌道部署超過 5,000 顆衛星,藍源(Blue Origin)也提出 5,400 顆的計畫,中國企業申報的規模更為龐大,而 SpaceX 創辦人馬斯克(Elon Musk)甚至曾談及百萬顆等級的星系。據外媒報導,這波前所未有的低軌道(LEO)衛星搶建潮,正迎頭撞上特殊零組件與材料短缺、供應商產能吃緊,以及與蓬勃發展的 AI 產業的搶料競爭。據估算,目前在低軌運行的近 1.9 萬顆衛星,未來幾年可能再暴增 7 萬顆。
#Amazon#Blue Origin#SpaceX#Aerospace Industries Association#PwC#Novaspace#US Space Development Agency#Satellite Industry Association