> A deal between the two tech titans would give a boost to SpaceX’s business ahead of a historic public listing.

That tagline says it all. This is just pure market manipulation. There's no current path to space-based datacenters being feasible. Launch costs, unrepairable, enormous amounts of solar panels (and thermal rejectors) required. The concept doesn't survive even casual contact with reality.

spiritual successor to project loon

I'm still very worried about Kessler Syndrome. I don't think we need stuff like this up there.