Google is launching its AI chips into space — Project Suncatcher MVP sports four TPUs and will be delivered by a SpaceX rocket

Google is set to launch its AI chips into space via a SpaceX rocket, as part of Project Suncatcher's MVP (Minimum Viable Product) satellite. This experimental satellite, expected to be delivered on October 1, 2026, carries four custom Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) inside a spacecraft the size of a refrigerator. These TPUs were tested for radiation exposure and vibration conditions similar to those experienced during a rocket launch, with Google confirming that the hardware held up well in these simulated conditions.

The satellite will orbit low Earth orbit, where it can harness up to eight times more solar power than Earth-based solar panels. Google did not create the MVP satellite from scratch; instead, it integrated its chips into a satellite already built by Planet Labs, a satellite imagery company, to accelerate its original 2027 timeline for launching satellites.

Cooling remains a significant challenge for the TPUs, as space offers no natural airflow for heat dissipation. Google has devised a solution using thermal interface material connecting the chips to aluminum and copper heat pipes, which funnel heat towards radiators that can project the heat into space. However, due to this limitation, the TPUs can only run continuously for around fifteen minutes before needing a cooling shutdown period.

Future satellite designs will likely house dozens of TPU chips, using high-speed laser connections to communicate across the constellation.