Google: Project Suncatcher: first TPU prototype satellite
Google's first TPUs in orbit, on a prototype satellite developed with Planet. Launched 1 Oct 2026; Google says it has confirmed contact and the satellite is operating as expected. It will gather data on how the chips handle launch stress, radiation and thermal extremes in low Earth orbit.
| Company | |
|---|---|
| Partners | Planet |
| Category | prototype satellite |
| Hardware | 4 Google Trillium-generation TPUs |
| Timeline | 1 Oct 2026, 18:32 UTC (Transporter-18) |
| Vehicle | SpaceX Falcon 9 |
| Mission | Transporter-18 rideshare, Vandenberg SLC-4E |
| Scale | 1 satellite |
| Funding (public) | not public |
| Status | in orbit |
| Launch status | Launch Successful (Launch Library 2) |
| NORAD IDs | not yet public |
Sources
- Google (blog.google), 2026-10-01: Prototype satellite built with Planet launched on Transporter-18 on 1 Oct 2026; team confirmed contact and it is operating as expected
- Google (blog.google), 2026-09-24: First TPUs go to orbit on SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare, developed in partnership with Planet
- Gizmodo, 2026-09-24: Four Google TPUs (Trillium) launch next week on Transporter-18
- The Space Devs Launch Library 2, 2026-10-03: Transporter 18: launched 2026-10-01T18:32:00Z, status Launch Successful, SLC-4E
Related projects
| Project | Lead | Hardware | Timeline | Status | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Suncatcher: two prototype satellites with cross-links | Google TPUs (per satellite count not stated) | early 2027 (target) | planned | [1] [2] | |
| Vera Rubin Space-1 Module | NVIDIA | Vera Rubin Space-1 Module for orbital data centers | announced 16 Mar 2026 (GTC); availability not stated | announced | [1] |
Independent tracker by CyberMax. Company and project names are used only to identify what is tracked; no affiliation with or endorsement by any company named. No third-party logos are used. Unknown values are left blank, never estimated.