Overview
- Google outlined a plan for compact constellations of solar‑powered satellites carrying TPUs and linked by free‑space optical lasers to function as a distributed data center.
- A partnership with Planet Labs will deliver two prototype satellites by early 2027 to evaluate power generation, radiation tolerance, optical communications, and system reliability on orbit.
- Early lab results show Trillium v6e TPUs had no hard failures up to about 15 krad(Si) under proton radiation, and bench optical links achieved high‑Gbps rates with a long‑term goal of tens of Tbps in tightly spaced formations under 1 kilometer.
- Google says dawn‑dusk sun‑synchronous orbits could yield up to roughly eight times the solar productivity of ground panels, offering a path to reduce land, water, and grid demands of terrestrial data centers.
- The company models cost competitiveness only by the mid‑2030s if launch prices fall below about $200 per kilogram, and it flags major hurdles including thermal management, debris and collision risk, high‑bandwidth links, and governance; industry figures, including Elon Musk, publicly reacted to the reveal.