St. Pete startup's lunar data center set to land on moon

Space startup sending data center to moon

FOX 13’s Matthew McClellan has a look at the lunar data center headed to the moon. A St. Pete-based startup, Lonestar, is behind the project.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A groundbreaking mission with ties to the Tampa Bay area is set to make history as the first-ever lunar data center is scheduled to land on the moon.

St. Petersburg-based Lonestar is behind the innovative project, which aims to safeguard Earth’s most important information by backing it up in space, according to a company news release.

From a temporary "pop-up" mission control in downtown St. Pete, Lonestar’s team is closely monitoring the journey of its Freedom Data Center, which launched aboard a SpaceX rocket on February 26 and is currently en route to the moon. The data center is attached to Intuitive Machines’ Athena lunar lander, which is expected to touch down on the lunar surface on Thursday, March 6.

Lonestar's lunar data center launched from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX rocket on Feb. 26.

Why Send Data to the moon?

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According to Lonestar, the goal is to provide a secure, off-world backup for critical information, protecting it from natural disasters, cyber threats, and other risks on Earth. The 8-terabyte data center will store government records, business data, and even cultural artifacts, ensuring they remain safe for generations.

Pictured: Lonestar's pop-up mission control operation in St. Pete.

"Our core mission is saving Earth’s data, one byte at a time," said Chris Stott, CEO of Lonestar, in the news release. "But we also want to inspire—this project is a blend of technology and art that will last for a thousand years."

The data center is encased in a 3D-printed shell designed by world-renowned architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). The structure is built to endure harsh lunar conditions for over a millennium, the company said.

Pictured: A replica of the 3D-printed case that holds Lonestar's lunar data center.

At sunrise and sunset on the moon, the shell will cast two distinct shadows, forming silhouettes of Apollo astronaut Charlie Duke and spacewalking artist Nicole Stott—symbolizing the past and future of lunar exploration, according to the release.

More Than Just Data Backup

Beyond its role in data storage, this mission will also test new technology and capabilities, including:

Space-based networking and radiation sensors
Streaming a music video from space (by Imagine Dragons, in partnership with the video game Starfield)
The first digital post office on the moon, which will issue a digital stamp in coordination with the Isle of Man Post Office, per the company’s announcement
The State of Florida is among the first customers, using the mission to explore secure, space-based data storage, according to Lonestar.

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What’s Next for Lonestar?

This isn’t Lonestar’s first mission to the moon. Last year, the company successfully tested a smaller data center during a previous lunar landing. This latest mission is larger in scale and ambition, setting the stage for future space-based storage solutions, according to the news release.

If successful, Lonestar hopes to expand its lunar infrastructure, providing off-world data backup for businesses, governments, and even future space missions. The mission represents a bold step toward a future where data security isn’t just global—it’s interplanetary.

The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Matthew McClellan.

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