Google's Orbital AI Satellite Begins Running Gemma 4

Oct 30, 2026
Google's Project Suncatcher prototype is communicating with ground stations and running AI inference in orbit using a single Tensor Processing Unit.

Google's Project Suncatcher prototype is online and communicating with ground stations after launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 earlier this month, according to TechCrunch. The satellite carries one Tensor Processing Unit and can generate up to 1 kilowatt of electricity.

Engineers sent a prompt to a stored version of Google DeepMind's Gemma 4 model, asking it to write a haiku about being in space. They also used the model to report orbital conditions around the satellite. Power limits allow the processor to operate for about 20 minutes at a time.

Google will test the chip under thermal stress and space radiation, including whether radiation causes memory errors. If the processor performs as expected, the company plans to launch two more satellites in 2027 with greater power capacity and optical links between the spacecraft.

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