Google Tests AI Chips in Space with Project Suncatcher

Google is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence computing with its Project Suncatcher initiative. The tech giant plans to launch a prototype satellite next week, marking the first in-orbit test of its AI hardware. This mission will evaluate how Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) perform in low-Earth orbit, where they'll be exposed to extreme temperatures and radiation.

The new mission is scheduled to fly on SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare launch in partnership with Planet Labs. After the launch, it will send a prototype satellite carrying TPUs into low-Earth orbit to assess if the AI chips can operate reliably in space. Google will also test its design to cool the power-intensive chips in the vacuum of space.

Experts have said that the concept remains years from being commercially viable due to high launch costs, engineering constraints, and satellite production bottlenecks. The first Suncatcher mission is designed to gather in-orbit data and identify potential failure points, rather than demonstrate an operational orbital data centre.