Google to send AI chips into space next week for orbital data centre project
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Google to send AI chips into space next week for orbital data centre project")
Google wants to build AI data centres in space: Its first satellite launches on October 1
Google will launch four AI chips into space on October 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Project Suncatcher will test Gemini computing in orbit as Google explores solar-powered AI data centres, with plans for satellite fleets of more than 80 spacecraft.
Google is preparing to launch four artificial intelligence chips into space on October 1, marking the first major step in its plan to build solar-powered AI data centres in orbit. The refrigerator-sized satellite will carry Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) and test whether they can run AI workloads in the harsh conditions of space, The New York Times reported on September 24.
The mission, called Project Suncatcher, will use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Google hopes the technology could eventually help power AI computing beyond Earth, with the company exploring satellite fleets of more than 80 spacecraft.
Google is sending four AI chips into orbit to run Gemini
According to The New York Times, the experimental satellite, named MVP, was built in partnership with Planet Labs. It will carry four Google TPUs, with computing power equivalent to one data centre server. The satellite is designed to answer simple AI queries using Google's Gemini assistant. It will also test whether the processors can withstand radiation, extreme temperatures and the physical stress of spaceflight. Before the launch, technicians inspected the satellite's solar panels and subjected it to vibration tests to simulate the shaking of a rocket journey. They marked individual screws with paint to check whether they loosened during testing.
The satellite passed the vibration test, according to the newspaper's report. James Manyika, Google's senior vice president for research, described the results as "great", but said he remained curious about how the hardware would perform once it reached space.
The mission is expected to operate for about a year. Google's Travis Beals, senior director of product management for Project Suncatcher, told The New York Times that the chips can run for around 15 minutes before they need to shut down to cool.
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Why Google wants to build AI data centres in space
Google's Project Suncatcher aims to explore whether AI computing can move beyond traditional data centres on Earth. AI systems require enormous computing power. The facilities that support them consume large amounts of electricity and need extensive cooling infrastructure. Google's idea is to place AI processors in orbit, where satellites can capture solar energy and potentially reduce reliance on some of the power infrastructure required on Earth. According to The New York Times, Google estimates that space-based data centres could become cost-competitive with terrestrial facilities by the mid-2030s. However, this remains a long-term ambition, not a commercially proven solution. Cooling, radiation, maintenance and the cost of launching equipment remain major challenges.
Manyika acknowledged to the newspaper that the effort is still in its early stages and will take years to develop. He said Google does not expect anything usefully operational in the next few years.
Google plans more AI satellites after October 1
The October mission is only the beginning. According to The New York Times, Google plans to launch two additional satellites in 2027 and is developing designs for potential fleets of more than 80 spacecraft.
These satellites could eventually work together as an orbital AI data centre, expanding computing capacity as demand for AI systems grows. But Google must first demonstrate that its processors can operate reliably in orbit and that the technology can overcome the practical challenges of space-based computing.
