Google Tests AI Data Center in Space with First-Ever Satellite Launch

Google has launched its first test of an artificial intelligence data center in space. The satellite, called MVP, was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and carries four of Google's tensor processing units (TPUs), which have about the computing power of one server in a data center.

The mission is part of Project Suncatcher, a research effort announced by Google in November 2025. The company aims to answer the question: 'Can our AI hardware operate in space?'

According to Google, satellites in low Earth orbit can generate up to eight times more solar power than panels on the ground, making them an attractive option for data centers.

The MVP satellite will operate for about a year and could keep circling Earth for up to six years before being pulled down by gravity. It will run simple AI queries using Google's Gemini and test the hardware's ability to withstand radiation and heat in space.