Google’s October 1 launch of its Project Suncatcher prototype satellite—carrying four Trillium TPUs aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9—marks the clearest recent catalyst, building on May 2026 talks for orbital data-center launches. The test evaluates radiation tolerance, thermal management, and laser links for solar-powered AI compute clusters, with two follow-on satellites planned for 2027. SpaceX’s parallel Starmind ambitions and FCC filings for up to a million AI satellites, combined with Google’s roughly 5-6% stake in the company and their separate $29 billion terrestrial compute pact, reinforce aligned incentives. Persistent hurdles around Starship-scale launch economics and radiation hardening keep any binding agreement uncertain despite the momentum.