Google Sends AI Chip Into Space for the First Time to Test Orbital Data Center
Technology
Google has sent its Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) artificial intelligence chip into orbit for the first time as part of Project Suncatcher. The prototype satellite, developed in partnership with Planet, launched on October 1 as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission. Google confirmed contact with the satellite and said it is operating as expected.
The mission is designed to test how Google’s TPU performs under real space conditions. The company is collecting data on radiation, the physical stresses of spaceflight and extreme thermal conditions, while also assessing how the chip can be supplied with sufficient power and cooled in orbit. During the initial phase, the TPU will operate in short 15-minute bursts to reduce pressure on the satellite’s power and thermal-management systems.
The next stage is planned for 2027, when Google aims to launch two satellites designed for more complex computing workloads. The spacecraft will attempt to exchange data through laser communications links and test high-bandwidth connectivity between satellites.
In the longer term, Google is considering an orbital computing infrastructure consisting of 81 satellites. Flying in close formation, they would operate as a single computing cluster and process artificial intelligence workloads in parallel. Google describes Suncatcher as a long-term research project aimed at determining whether space could eventually support scalable machine-learning infrastructure.
The next stage is planned for 2027, when Google aims to launch two satellites designed for more complex computing workloads. The spacecraft will attempt to exchange data through laser communications links and test high-bandwidth connectivity between satellites.
In the longer term, Google is considering an orbital computing infrastructure consisting of 81 satellites. Flying in close formation, they would operate as a single computing cluster and process artificial intelligence workloads in parallel. Google describes Suncatcher as a long-term research project aimed at determining whether space could eventually support scalable machine-learning infrastructure.
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