Google's first Suncatcher orbital data center test launches October 1

Google has embarked on an ambitious project to create Project Suncatcher, a moonshot initiative aimed at developing orbital AI data centers. Last year, Google announced this moonshot effort, which envisions AI boosters like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos proposing as an alternative to controversial ground-based data centers.

On October 1, Google will launch its first experimental satellite, dubbed MVP, as part of Project Suncatcher. The satellite, roughly the size of a refrigerator, is equipped with four of Google's custom TPU AI accelerators, which are designed to train AI models and execute tasks related to AI workloads. Traditional data centers require substantial power to run thousands of these AI chips, which is why the prospect of solar-powered AI hardware in space holds significant appeal.

While Google has taken the lead in designing the AI hardware, Planet Labs, a satellite imagery firm, provided the spacecraft. The AI hardware inside MVP is owned by Google, but the satellite itself is a repurposed unit from Planet Labs.

Initially, Google planned to launch two custom satellites in 2027 for this project. However, to expedite its efforts, Google decided to integrate its chips into a satellite that Planet Labs had already assembled for an initial test.