Google puts four TPU chips in orbit for Project Suncatcher

Google has put four TPU chips into orbit, turning Project Suncatcher from a plan into a hardware test. The prototype launched with Planet on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission, where the chips will face radiation, thermal extremes, and the physical stress of orbit.

That does not validate an orbital data center yet. Google is testing whether machine-learning infrastructure can actually operate in space before considering networked fleets of more than 80 satellites, with two additional launches planned for 2027.