Technology company Google has announced plans to build data centres in space to meet the growing demand for computing power for artificial intelligence. The first test modules are due to be launched into space in early 2027, The Guardian reports.
The idea is to form a group of about 80 satellites, which will be placed in orbit at an altitude of about 400 miles (more than 640 km) above the Earth. Once in orbit, the space data centres will operate on energy from solar panels, the efficiency of which can exceed the indicators of ground-based installations by eight times. At the same time, the launch of a single rocket is accompanied by the release of hundreds of tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere.
The project was called Project Suncatcher. Data from orbit will be transmitted to Earth using optical communication channels – a technology that uses laser beams to transmit information. As part of the initiative, the company plans to launch two prototype satellites as early as 2027. Google says the research is a “first step toward creating a scalable space infrastructure for AI.”
Astronomers have already expressed concern that the proliferation of low-orbit satellites is making it harder to observe space—they say they are “like insects on a windshield” as scientists try to explore the universe.
Google predicts that by the mid-2030s, orbital data centers could be as cost-effective as ground-based facilities. Space centers would also help reduce the burden on natural resources, as they would not require water or land to cool them.
