Google to launch Project Suncatcher satellite carrying TPUs October 1
Google is getting ready to launch a prototype satellite for its planned Project Suncatcher AI constellation on October 1, 2026, hitching a ride with SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission.
This move is part of Project Suncatcher, where Google wants to see how its tensor processing units, or TPUs, basically the brains behind a lot of AI, hold up in the tough conditions of space.
The satellite, built by Planet, which has partnered with Google on Project Suncatcher, will operate in Earth orbit for a year, if all goes to plan, to test if these chips can handle all the radiation and heat.
Google tests heat pipes and radiators
Managing heat in space is not easy; there is no airflow up there, so Google is experimenting with a combination of heat pipes and radiators to keep things cool.
If its tech works, it could mean a big step toward running data centers off-Earth someday.
Plus, Google has two satellites in orbit in 2027 to test laser communication. This launch also fits into a bigger trend: companies like SpaceX are eyeing orbital data-center constellations, so we might be seeing the early days of truly cosmic computing.