Google, through its Project Suncatcher, plans to launch two prototype satellites by early 2027 to test tensor processing units in low-Earth orbit, in partnership with Planet Labs, the San Francisco-based satellite imaging company. The satellites will operate on a dawn-dusk sun-synchronous orbit, enabling near-constant sunlight exposure and productivity up to eight times higher than terrestrial solar installations. Google has already validated the radiation resistance of its Trillium TPUs for five-year missions, with only high-bandwidth memory modules remaining vulnerable. The company anticipates economic viability comparable to terrestrial energy costs by the mid-2030s, contingent on launch prices dropping below 200 dollars per kilogram.
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