The project, called Suncatcher, aims to assess whether satellites could be used in the future to operate powerful artificial intelligence systems. The idea relies on the advantages of space, including constant access to solar energy and the space available for computing infrastructure.
Google is expected to launch a prototype satellite as part of SpaceX’s joint mission, Transporter-18, in collaboration with the company Planet Labs.
The satellite will be equipped with Google’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) and placed in low Earth orbit. The test will examine whether the chips can operate stably in the extreme conditions of space, including radiation, high and low temperatures, and the forces during launch.
One of the main challenges is space radiation, which can cause damage or errors in electronic systems, including so-called “bit inversions” in data.
Google isn’t the only company exploring this concept. SpaceX and Starcloud are also developing projects to deploy data centers in low Earth orbit.
If the technology proves viable, space data centers could offer an alternative for powering artificial intelligence systems, whose energy demands are growing rapidly.