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Google is moving forward with Project Suncatcher, an effort to develop AI data centers in space powered by solar energy as demand for computing power continues to rise, The New York Times reports.
The company plans to launch an experimental satellite called MVP aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 on Oct. 1, carrying four specialized AI chips with computing power roughly equivalent to one data-center server. The satellite will test whether AI hardware can withstand radiation, vibration and other challenges of operating in space while using about one kilowatt of solar power.
Google’s radiation testing has produced encouraging results, with experiments showing that errors caused by radiation can generally be corrected by restarting the chips.
Cooling the chips remains a major engineering challenge because conventional fans do not work in space. Google developed a system using conductive materials and radiator panels to transfer heat into space, allowing the chips to operate for about 15 minutes before they need to be shut down for cooling.
Google acknowledges that building a large-scale orbital data center network could take years and require significant investment, but estimates costs could become comparable with terrestrial data centers by the mid-2030s as launch costs decline. The company plans to launch two additional satellites in 2027 and is exploring fleets of more than 80 satellites that could work together to process AI queries. Google is also considering a custom satellite the length of a soccer field.
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