Google Launches Project Suncatcher Satellite to Test Orbital AI Data Centers
Summary
Google launches its first Project Suncatcher satellite on October 1 to test orbital AI data centers, carrying four TPUs to run Gemini in roughly 15-minute bursts before radiators must cool the chips.
Key Points
- Google launches its refrigerator-sized MVP satellite on October 1 to test Project Suncatcher orbital AI data centers.
- The Planet Labs-built spacecraft carries four Google TPUs and launches on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 Falcon 9 rideshare mission.
- Google runs Gemini models in bursts of about 15 minutes because its radiator system must cool the chips between runs; planned custom-satellite launches remain scheduled for 2027.