Google Tests AI Chip in Space with First Orbital TPU Launch

Google has launched its first Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) into space aboard a SpaceX rocket from California. The prototype orbital compute satellite, built by Planet Labs, will test whether Google’s advanced chip can operate in orbit, including managing power consumption, thermal regulation, and running AI models.

The satellite will run the TPU in 15-minute intervals to protect its systems, with a follow-up demo planned for next year featuring two purpose-built satellites connected by laser to handle larger workloads. Travis Beals, manager of Google’s Project Suncatcher, emphasized that ground testing cannot fully replicate real conditions in space.

Google’s long-term vision includes an orbital data center consisting of 81 satellites flying in close formation. However, Beals noted that the rockets needed to scale this project cost-effectively do not yet exist.

In a peer-reviewed white paper set to be published in Joule, Google projects that SpaceX could reduce launch prices to near $200 per kilogram by 2035, requiring around 1,800 Starship launches. Updated radiation tests suggest Google’s chips can handle significant AI tasks in orbit over a five-year lifespan, though they are not suited for massive training operations.