ISLAMABAD: Google said on Thursday that it plans to launch a test satellite next week as part of Project Suncatcher. The research project is exploring whether large groups of AI computers could one day operate in space.
Companies such as SpaceX and Starcloud are also looking into space-based data centres. They hope to use sunlight for power and avoid limits on electricity supplies on Earth.
Google’s satellite will travel on a SpaceX rideshare launch with Planet Labs. The test will check whether Google’s AI chips can handle the shaking and pressure of launch, radiation and extreme temperatures in low Earth orbit.
The satellite will carry Google Tensor Processing Units, or TPUs, which are designed for AI computing. Radiation in space can damage electronics or cause data errors.
Google has tested the chips on Earth at the University of California, Davis. But it says testing them in orbit is needed to see how they work in real space conditions.
The company will also test a cooling system. Because there is no air in space to carry heat away, the design uses heat pipes and radiators to cool the chips.
Experts say space-based data centres are still years away from being practical. High launch costs, technical challenges and limits on satellite production are among the obstacles.
Google says the first mission is only meant to collect information and find possible problems. It will not be a working data centre. The company hopes to launch two more satellites in 2027 to test laser links that could connect future groups of space-based computers.
Reported By: Staff Reporter I Islamabad
