Google's Project Suncatcher prototype satellite reaches orbit and begins TPU testing

What changed

Google confirmed on October 1 that its Project Suncatcher prototype satellite launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission, established contact with the team and was operating as expected. Built with Planet, the satellite will collect in-orbit data over the coming weeks on how TPUs handle launch stress, radiation and thermal extremes. Google describes the mission as an early research step toward understanding whether scalable machine-learning infrastructure could eventually operate in space, not as a deployable orbital data center.