Google is developing plans to deploy data centers for artificial intelligence in space, with the first testing equipment set to be sent into orbit at the beginning of 2027.
They will be placed in low Earth orbit, to be continuously powered by solar energy. These will be attached to satellites, close enough to achieve a wide bandwidth for wireless communication and shielded from radiation.
The company's scientists and engineers believe that a dense constellation of approximately 80 solar-powered satellites could be placed in orbit at about 640 km above the Earth's surface, equipped with powerful processors needed to meet the increasing demand for artificial intelligence, as reported by The Guardian.
Space launch prices are decreasing so rapidly that, by the mid-2030s, the operating costs of a space data center could be comparable to those of one on Earth, according to a Google study.
Using satellites could also minimize the impact on land and water resources needed to cool existing data centers.
Once in orbit, the data centers would be powered by solar panels that can be up to eight times more productive than those on Earth. However, launching a single rocket into space emits hundreds of tons of CO2.
Astronomers, concerned about the increasing number of satellites in low orbit, may raise objections.
Orbital data centers, envisioned under the Suncatcher project, would transmit results through optical links, typically using light beams or lasers to convey information.
Major technology companies pursuing rapid advances in artificial intelligence are expected to spend 3 trillion dollars on land-based data centers from India to Texas and from Lincolnshire to Brazil.
Expenditures have fueled growing concerns about the impact on carbon emissions, if clean energy is not found to power these massive centers.
"In the future, space could be the best place for expanding artificial intelligence computers. Building on this idea, our new ambitious research project, Suncatcher, envisions compact constellations of solar-powered satellites carrying Google TPUs and connected through optical links in free space. This approach would have huge expansion potential and also minimize the impact on terrestrial resources," Google stated.
TPUs are processors optimized for training and daily use of AI models. Free-space optical links ensure wireless transmission.
Elon Musk, who owns the satellite Internet provider Starlink and the SpaceX rocket program, stated last week that his companies will begin expanding to create data centers in space.