Google to launch first Project Suncatcher AI chip test in space

Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) said a prototype satellite will launch next week to test Tensor Processing Units in low Earth orbit, marking Project Suncatcher's first in-orbit trial.

The mission is scheduled to fly on SpaceX's upcoming Transporter-18 rideshare launch in partnership with satellite company Planet Labs. It will examine how Google's AI hardware handles launch forces, radiation and extreme temperatures in low Earth orbit.