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Google Sets 2027 Orbital Test for Space Data Centers as Pichai Details Vision

Pichai says the long-term goal is to ease AI’s power constraints by moving compute to orbit where solar energy is stronger and more consistent.

Overview

  • Google plans to launch small server racks on satellites in 2027 to test thermal management and reliability in space.
  • The company aims to tap higher, continuous solar output in orbit to reduce dependence on Earth-based power for AI workloads.
  • Sundar Pichai described the effort as a multi‑year initiative and suggested orbital computing could become routine within a decade.
  • Elon Musk reacted to a clip of Pichai’s comments with a one-word post, writing “Interesting” on X.
  • Analysts, including ARK Invest, point to SpaceX’s Starship as a likely enabler for scaling the concept, and some reports refer to the effort as “Project Suncatcher.”