Google Plans Solar-Powered Data Centers in Space Under “Project Suncatcher”

CEO​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ of Google, Sundar Pichai, announced that under a new initiative called Project Suncatcher, Google will create solar-powered data centers in space by 2027. The plan is to relieve the planet by relocating AI computing that requires heavy power from Earth and to use unlimited solar power in space.

The first step is to try out in space two small satellites equipped with Google’s custom AI chips, known as Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), in low-Earth orbit. These small units attached to the orbit would get the energy from solar cells, be Earth-cooling-demand- and water-free, and could run heavy AI jobs.

One of the major reasons behind Project Suncatcher is that the carbon footprint of AI data centers grows exponentially. A lot of problems data centers face are related to energy consumption. Data centers consume large amounts of electricity and water; cooling them is the most resource-intensive part. Google says that by moving the centers to space, they will be able to avoid such limitations and use solar power 24/7.

According to Pichai, the use of small satellite prototypes demonstrating their usefulness could pave the way to large clusters of space-based data centers becoming the “new normal” within ten years. He compared it to a far-reaching idea rather than a quick commercial product but one that has the potential to change the AI infrastructural landscape entirely.

Initial tests have shown that Google’s TPU chips can handle radiation exposure levels comparable to those in space. This gives hope that the technology can work reliably in the orbit environment, though there are still issues, such as how to dissipate heat in a vacuum and provide strong and fast data links to the Earth.

In case of success, Project Suncatcher would not only lessen the environmental burden caused by the worldwide AI development but also become a turning point for the processing of data in terms of the manner and location. Rather than the support of huge server farms on Earth, companies can take advantage of distributed, solar-powered infrastructures that are orbiting above.

This is a daring plan. It may not be feasible the day after, but it suggests the future way, where the location of the Earth won’t limit the computing power ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌available.