Why in news?

• Project Suncatcher is a recent research initiative launched by Google aimed at building scalable AI data centers in space.
• The core idea is to deploy constellations of solar-powered satellites equipped with Google's custom AI chips called Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) in low Earth orbit.
• These satellites will operate almost continuously on solar energy, harnessing the vast power of the Sun to run AI workloads while minimizing terrestrial resource usage.

Key features of Project Suncatcher

• Building modular arrays of satellites linked by high-speed free-space optical communication, enabling data transfer rates in tens of terabits per second.
• Launching two prototype satellites with Planet Labs by early 2027 to test the hardware’s performance and durability in orbit.
• Operating in sun-synchronous low Earth orbit for maximum solar energy harnessing.
• Google's TPUs have shown promising radiation resistance in initial tests, suitable for space environments.
• The project is seen as a long-term moonshot research initiative, inspired by other Google moonshots like quantum computing and autonomous vehicles.

The project aims to overcome challenges like tight satellite formation control, thermal management, and system reliability in space to eventually build a vast, green AI computation infrastructure beyond Earth’s limits.

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