Google tests AI computing beyond Earth

Google has launched a prototype satellite carrying specialised AI chips to test whether AI computing systems can operate reliably in space.

The experiment, developed with Planet Labs and launched aboard a SpaceX rocket, is part of Google’s Project Suncatcher, which aims to assess the feasibility of running AI processors in orbit.

Space-based computing could eventually allow satellite imagery and other data to be processed in orbit using solar energy, potentially reducing the need to transmit large volumes of data back to Earth.

However, engineers face significant challenges, including exposure to cosmic radiation, heat management, launch costs and the complexity of maintaining computing equipment in space.