Google launched its first Project Suncatcher prototype satellite carrying four Tensor Processing Units aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 on October 1, 2026, marking the initial hardware test of whether Google’s AI chips can survive launch stresses and orbital radiation while running compute workloads. The experiment, developed with Planet Labs, focuses on solar-powered satellite clusters linked by laser communications, with two additional test satellites planned for 2027 to validate inter-satellite networking. SpaceX has filed plans for up to one million AI satellites and maintains launch and investment ties with Google, though full-scale orbital data center deployment faces major hurdles in cost, bandwidth, and reliability compared with terrestrial infrastructure. Traders are watching these early results and 2027 missions for signals on whether the companies will formalize broader agreements.