Overview
- Google confirmed a partnership with Planet to launch two prototype satellites by early 2027 to test TPUs, power generation and optical links in space.
- Company tests found Trillium‑generation TPUs endured a 67 MeV proton beam with no hard failures up to 15 krad(Si) total ionizing dose.
- Designs target dawn‑dusk sun‑synchronous orbits where solar panels receive near‑continuous light and can deliver up to eight times Earth‑based output.
- The concept depends on free‑space optical links at tens of terabits per second and sub‑kilometer satellite formations, introducing thermal, debris and reliability challenges.
- Google projects launch costs could reach about $200/kg by the mid‑2030s, hinting at cost parity with terrestrial energy use, while large‑scale deployment remains uncertain within a growing industry push that includes Starcloud and SpaceX.