Google’s Project Suncatcher to put ML infrastructure in space

Google’s Project Suncatcher will launch a prototype satellite on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 to test Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) in low-Earth orbit, evaluating vibration, radiation, and thermal performance. The mission will measure TPU resilience to 10-minute launch loads up to 100 g, proton-beam radiation doses exceeding a five-year mission, and cooling via heat pipes and radiators in vacuum. Results will inform future constellations of satellite-based AI infrastructure.