Google wants AI data centres in space, but experts warn of obstacles
Opposition to data centres is growing in many parts of the world. Google plans to deal with this by launching a data centre into space - sort of. The Alphabet -owned company recently announced that Project Suncatcher, which has been in the research and development stage for several years, is ready for a trial. Google says the purpose of Project Suncatcher is to explore “whether space could one…
Google is considering the possibility of establishing AI data centres in space as part of its Project Suncatcher research. The company aims to determine if such a setup could meet the growing demands of the AI boom. One of the advantages of space-based data centres, according to Google, is the availability of near-constant sunlight, which could provide eight times more solar power than what is typically available on Earth.
This could potentially address concerns about the size, noise, and energy needs of current data centres on the ground. However, industry experts have cautioned that there are numerous obstacles to overcome before space-based data centres can become a reality. Cold temperatures in space, for instance, could prove challenging for computer hardware, and the issue of radiation would need to be addressed.
Furthermore, the need to upgrade hardware components like CPUs and GPUs, which is often necessary for data centres on Earth, could present additional complications. Google acknowledges these challenges, stating that their upcoming space launch is a significant step towards testing the feasibility of their idea.
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