Powered by the Sun: Google’s boss promises AI data centers in space by 2027

The project is Google’s new “moonshot”: the goal is to take advantage of the fact that solar panels in space can work up to eight times more efficiently than on the ground, because they almost always have direct sunlight in orbit. Suncatcher envisions a network of satellites connected by high-capacity laser links, so that the entire low-orbit formation functions as one large, distributed data center. The plans mention transmissions of up to 1.6 terabits per second between satellites, which is the level of high-end supercomputers.

The first concrete step will be cooperation with the company Planet, known for satellites for recording the Earth. Together, they plan to launch two prototype satellites in early 2027, to test Google’s TPU AI chips, power, cooling and communication in orbit under real conditions. CEO Sundar Pichai says that he expects data centers in space to become the new normal “in ten years,” if the concept is proven to be feasible on a larger scale.

The background of all this is the growing costs and environmental pressure of terrestrial data centers. Estimates say that AI could need hundreds of gigawatts of electricity by 2030, while large AI centers moreć today they consume amounts of energy sufficient for smaller cities, consume huge amounts of water for cooling and produce more and more e-waste. By transferring part of that work into orbit, Google is trying to reduce the impact on networks and emissions on Earth, although it itself admits that the project is more of a long-term research plan than a quick replacement for existing data centers.

How much it will all cost and whether it will really pay off, no one knows yet. Launches are still expensive, it is necessary to solve the impact of radiation on AIčips and to devise how to service the satellites that work in the “swarm” high above us. But Suncatcher shows where the biggest tech companies are thinking: if AI continues to grow at this rate, some of the computing power may really have to move – literally – above our heads.