Google is preparing to launch its first experimental satellite into low Earth orbit to test whether its custom artificial intelligence chips can operate reliably in space. The spacecraft, named MVP, is scheduled to lift off on October 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, according to a report by The New York Times.
The mission is part of a broader Google initiative called Project Suncatcher, which aims to explore the feasibility of running AI computations beyond Earth's atmosphere. The MVP satellite is not a full data center but a prototype carrying four of Google's tensor processing units, or TPUs, roughly equivalent in computing power to a single server. Its solar panels generate about one kilowatt of electricity, and the craft is designed for one year of active operation, though it is expected to remain in orbit for up to six years before burning up in the atmosphere under Earth's gravity.
Before launch, the hardware underwent radiation testing at the Crocker Nuclear Laboratory. Using a cyclotron, engineers exposed the chips to a dose equivalent to five years in space. The tests showed that radiation-induced errors could be corrected by rebooting the chips. Because fans cannot operate in the vacuum of space, the team developed a passive heat conduction system. A layer of thermal interface paste sits beneath the motherboard, contacting layers of aluminum and copper that draw heat toward a radiator panel, which dissipates it into open space. The chips can run continuously for about 15 minutes before needing to cool down, a window sufficient for processing short Gemini model queries.
The idea for the project came from Blaise Agüera y Arcas, a Google vice president, who proposed it roughly three years ago amid rising energy costs for AI. In May 2025, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and CEO Sundar Pichai approved the initiative. To accelerate the launch and avoid waiting until 2027, Google partnered with Planet Labs, installing its processors on an already-built satellite from the partner company.
Next year, Google plans to launch a pair of satellites and is developing concepts for constellations of more than 80 craft to coordinate computing in space. The company is also discussing with engineers the creation of a custom satellite the length of a football field. At the same time, Google executives emphasize that these are long-term research efforts.