Google plans first test of AI chips in space under Project Suncatcher
Google plans to launch a prototype satellite next week for its first in-orbit test of Project Suncatcher, carrying Tensor Processing Units to assess whether they can operate reliably in space. The company aims to launch two satellites in 2027 to test laser links for future computing clusters.
1. First orbital test
Google said it will launch a prototype satellite next week on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission, in partnership with Planet Labs. The satellite will carry Google Tensor Processing Units to test how the hardware withstands launch forces, radiation and extreme temperatures in low Earth orbit.
2. Cooling and reliability
The mission will assess whether the chips can operate reliably in space and evaluate a cooling design that combines heat pipes with radiators. Google said ground testing of its TPUs while running AI workloads at the University of California, Davis, did not replace testing in orbit.
3. Future plans
Google said the first mission is intended to gather in-orbit data and identify potential failure points, not demonstrate an operational orbital data center. It aims to launch two satellites in 2027 to test high-bandwidth laser links needed to connect future computing clusters. Experts have said commercial viability remains years away given launch costs, engineering constraints and satellite production bottlenecks.
