Google sends prototype AI satellite into orbit
Google just launched a prototype satellite, developed with Planet, to test its custom AI chips in space. The Suncatcher project aims to see if Google's TPUs—processors built for machine learning—can survive the harsh conditions of orbit. The team has already made contact, and the satellite is working. It's all part of a larger research effort to eventually run AI infrastructure beyond Earth.
- Suncatcher launched aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission
- The satellite is online and functioning so far
- Project explores scalable machine learning off-planet
- Google released a peer-reviewed paper on the project
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