Google's Orbital Computing Ambitions Take Flight with Project Suncatcher

Google's Project Suncatcher prototype is now live in orbit, marking an important milestone for the company's orbital computing ambitions.

The prototype, built with Planet Labs, successfully established contact after launch and is operating as expected. Over the coming weeks, Google will test how its Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) handle the physical stress of spaceflight, radiation, and extreme thermal conditions.

This is still a small research mission, but it represents a significant step forward for orbital computing. The results will shape the next design and reveal which components can move forward largely unchanged and which ones require a complete rethink.

Star Catcher, another company working on orbital power infrastructure, has announced 10 power-purchase agreements with space companies, more than 40 letters of intent, and a $60 million strategic-funding award from the U.S. Space Force.