Google's Suncatcher project aims to put AI data centers in orbit powered by solar energy
Google will launch a refrigerator-size satellite on October 1 to test solar-powered AI computing in orbit.
Google's Suncatcher project aims to run AI data centers in orbit on solar power. On October 1, 2026, a refrigerator-size experimental satellite called MVP, built and tested at Planet Labs, is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Google VP James Manyika says it should have enough compute for basic AI queries. Manager Travis Beals estimates roughly 10,000 satellites to match a 1-gigawatt terrestrial data center, while Jeff Bezos has said cost parity could take up to 20 years.
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