Alphabet Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) CEO Sundar Pichai announced that Google’s Project Suncatcher will conduct its first-ever test in space, with the company preparing to evaluate the performance of its AI chips, Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), in orbit.
Pichai said in a post on X on Thursday that the TPUs will launch aboard Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) upcoming Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The mission, a joint effort with Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL), will carry a prototype satellite for the test.
“Can our TPUs survive and operate in space? Well, we’re going to find out,” wrote Pichai.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk expressed his support for the venture and responded to Pichai with two rocket emojis.
Google’s Orbital AI Vision Takes Shape
Google is set to reportedly launch its first Project Suncatcher hardware, an experimental AI satellite named MVP, on Oct. 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, months ahead of its previously planned early-2027 timeline.
The satellite will test Google’s vision for AI data centers in orbit, carrying four TPUs with computing power roughly equivalent to one data-center server. Suncatcher features a layered cooling system to manage heat in space, as conventional fans cannot operate there. The chips can run for about 15 minutes before cooling down, while the satellite is designed to operate for roughly one year, according to Google executive Travis Beals.
In December, Pichai said Google’s Project Suncatcher aims to address AI’s growing energy demands by developing space-based data centers that could harness solar power more efficiently. He also suggested that orbital computing could become mainstream within a decade. Elon Musk had backed the idea back then and called the move “Interesting.”
Price Action: On a year-to-date basis, GOOG has climbed 8.03%, as per Benzinga Pro. The stock was up about 0.01% to $339.06 premarket on Friday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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