Four Tensor Processing Units will be sent into space on a SpaceX Transporter-18 mission to assess whether AI hardware can survive and function in orbit. The experimental project, named Suncatcher, is scheduled to launch on Oct. 1 using a prototype satellite built in partnership with Planet. The mission will test whether the chips can answer basic Gemini queries while operating for one year, though current cooling limitations restrict chip run times to 15 minutes before they must shut down.

Google is expanding the program with a plan to launch two additional satellites in 2027 that will use laser links to simulate the bandwidth of terrestrial data centers. The company's lab systems have already reached 800Gbps communication speeds, and engineers are studying potential fleets of more than 80 satellites flying in formation. Google estimates that these orbital AI data centers may become cost-competitive with ground-based facilities by the mid-2030s.