Google is thinking far outside the box—or, more accurately, outside the atmosphere. Its goal is to solve the energy demands of its soaring AI ambitions. With that in mind, Google has announced a “moonshot” research project called Project Suncatcher, which envisions launching constellations of solar-powered satellites equipped with Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) to create AI data centers in space.

The primary motivation is simple: clean, near-unlimited energy. On Earth, AI data centers are raising environmental and utility concerns due to their massive power needs. In orbit, solar panels could be up to eight times more productive than their terrestrial counterparts and operate almost continuously. As Google’s Travis Beals explains, “In the future, space may be the best place to scale AI compute.”

Google’s Project Suncatcher: Launching TPUs to orbit for unlimited solar power

Turning this dream into orbiting reality presents significant engineering challenges. Google is actively testing how its TPUs can withstand the higher levels of radiation in space. So far, tests on its Trillium TPUs show they can survive a total ionizing dose equivalent to a five-year mission life without permanent failures. These results suggest they are surprisingly robust.

The biggest technical challenge, however, is communication. For these space-based centers to compete with those on land, they need extremely fast networking. Google proposes using free-space optical links (laser beams) to transmit data between satellites at “tens of terabits per second.” This requires positioning the satellites in tight, dense formations—flying them within “kilometers or less” of each other. This close proximity is far tighter than current satellite operations and introduces risks. The data centers could face space junk and collisions, for instance.

The high cost and competition in the segment

Launching hardware into space is pricey today, but Google’s cost analysis shows promise. The company projects that by the mid-2030s, the energy costs of running a space-based data center could be “roughly comparable” to an equivalent facility on Earth. This is thanks to the rapidly falling rocket launch prices.

Google is not alone in looking up. Competitors, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX and even Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, have also voiced ambitions about launching compute infrastructure into orbit.

Google is moving quickly, however. The firm is planning a joint mission with the company Planet to launch two prototype satellites by early 2027. This initial step will allow Google to test its hardware’s reliability and feasibility in the harsh orbital environment.

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