Google is working on an idea that can completely change how we think about AI infrastructure. The US-based tech giant wants to find out whether powerful AI computing systems can one day be placed in space, using satellites instead of traditional data centres on Earth.
Called Project Suncatcher, the project is a long-term research effort from Google. The goal is clear — put AI chips on satellites, send them into low Earth orbit and connect multiple satellites together so they can handle large AI workloads.
“Big breakthroughs happen when you work backwards from an end goal. In our case, it’s to ensure AI’s profound benefits in key areas, from healthcare to scientific discovery, can reach everyone, far into the future. Just as early research into autonomous driving and quantum computing required years of experimentation before we got to practical systems, exploring compute in space begins with measured, deliberate steps,” said Google in a blog post.
Why space?
One of the biggest reasons is sunlight. Satellites in low Earth orbit can get access to sunlight for much longer periods compared to solar panels on Earth. According to the Alphabet-owned company, this will allow satellites to generate up to eight times more solar power than similar systems on Earth.
However, building an AI data centre in space is not as simple as putting a computer inside a satellite. The big tech company first needs to understand whether its AI hardware can survive the extreme conditions of space.
The first major test is now approaching.
Google has now confirmed that it is set to send a prototype satellite on SpaceX’s upcoming Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The mission has been developed in partnership with Planet and will test how Google’s Tensor Processing Units, or TPUs, perform in orbit.
The Challenges
The first challenge comes before the satellite even reaches space. A rocket launch creates huge amounts of vibration and acceleration. The journey to low Earth orbit takes around 10 minutes, but during that time spacecraft can experience forces of up to 10 times Earth’s gravity.
Individual components such as TPU chips can experience even higher forces. Google says some parts can face forces of around 50 to 100 times gravity.
To prepare for this, the Project Suncatcher team tested its hardware by shaking the satellite on different axes to recreate the conditions of a rocket launch.
Radiation is another major problem. Once outside Earth’s atmosphere, electronics are exposed to solar activity and cosmic rays. These can cause errors in computer chips, including something known as a bit flip.
Cooling could become one of the biggest challenges.
AI chips generate a lot of heat, and powerful AI systems need effective cooling to keep running. On Earth, data centres can use air and other cooling systems to remove this heat.
Space is different because there is no air in a vacuum.
Google is therefore testing systems based on heat pipes and radiators. These systems are designed to move heat away from the chips and release it from the satellite.
The company has already tested its cooling technology inside a thermal vacuum chamber designed to recreate the conditions of space. The upcoming orbital test will provide more data on how well the system works outside Earth.
