WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Google under Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) is preparing to launch its first experimental satellite as part of Project Suncatcher, an ambitious effort to develop AI data centers in orbit. The satellite, called MVP, is scheduled to launch on October 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-18 rideshare mission.
About the size of a refrigerator, MVP contains four of Google's custom Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) AI accelerators and solar panels capable of generating about one kilowatt of power. The spacecraft was built by Planet Labs, allowing Google to accelerate its testing rather than develop a satellite from scratch.
The mission will test how Google's AI chips perform under radiation, vibration and other space conditions, while also examining the challenges of cooling the hardware.
The TPUs will run Gemini models in short bursts of about 15 minutes before shutting down to allow the radiator system to dissipate heat. Google plans additional launches in 2027 but expects Suncatcher will remain years away from becoming a commercial product.
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