Google plans to launch on October 1, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, a refrigerator-sized satellite prototype carrying four Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). This prototype, named MVP, delivers computing power equivalent to a single terrestrial data center server, powered by solar panels producing approximately 1 kilowatt. Ground testing showed Google TPUs can withstand simulated radiation doses equivalent to more than five years in orbit. The satellite is designed to operate for about one year, potentially up to six years, and will run short AI inference tasks in brief bursts to manage thermal constraints. This project is part of a larger plan including the launch of two additional satellites in 2027 to test high-bandwidth laser links between spacecraft.
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