Google Taps SpaceX for Prototype Satellite Launch Ahead of Project Suncatcher Constellation
Google is one step closer to launching its Project Suncatcher AI constellation after partnering with SpaceX to launch a prototype satellite on October 1. The Transporter-18 rideshare mission, scheduled for launch next week from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base, will carry the satellite built by Earth-imaging company Planet.
The prototype spacecraft is equipped with four Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), which are Google chips designed to handle complex AI tasks. During its one-year operation in Earth orbit, Google will test how the TPUs perform under space radiation and heat dissipation conditions.
One of the major challenges for operators of orbital data centers like Project Suncatcher is cooling, as there is no airflow in space to carry away heat. To address this issue, Google has developed a new TPU cooling system that combines heat pipes and radiators. The company claims to have tested the technology in a thermal vacuum chamber simulating space conditions.