Google Puts Data Centers in Space: Experimental Satellite Launched

Google has launched an experimental satellite to test its ambitious plan of placing data centers in space. The tech giant aims to harness near-constant sunlight in low-Earth orbit to power its data centers, which would provide a renewable source of energy and reduce the strain on Earth's grid.

The satellite, developed in partnership with Planet, carries four custom chips called tensor processing units (TPUs) that can run Google's Gemini A.I. for 15-minute stretches. The company plans to launch fleets of satellites, each carrying a dozen TPU chips, and communicating with one another and Earth via lasers.

Operating data centers in space comes with challenges such as heat dissipation, radiation, and space debris. Google is testing a combination of pipes and radiators to dissipate the heat generated by the TPUs. The company plans to launch two more satellites next year and proposes launching clusters of over 80 satellites.

Google's senior director of paradigms of intelligence and head of Project Suncatcher, Travis Beals, said that the first launch is about identifying points of failure and refining their designs as they learn more. The company aims to make its Gemini queries served in space a normal occurrence in the future.