Google Sends First Satellite into Orbit to Test Space-Based Data Centers

Google's ambitious Project Suncatcher is one step closer to becoming a reality as the tech giant announced that its first prototype satellite will launch next week on SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission. The goal of the project is to harness the unlimited sunlight in space to power data centers, minimizing their environmental impact on Earth.

The prototype satellite will test Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) in a space environment, which will help the company gather crucial data and learnings for future launches. According to Travis Beals, Google's Senior Director of Paradigms of Intelligence, 'some things can only be tested in space.'

In the future, Google plans to deploy satellites carrying dozens of TPU chips each, with the ability to communicate with each other via lasers. The company aims to test this setup in 2027 when it puts two satellites in orbit.