Google's Test Satellite Can Run Its AI Chip Only 20 Minutes at a Time

Google's Suncatcher test satellite, launched in October 2026 on a SpaceX rocket, can run its one AI chip, called a TPU, for only about 20 minutes at a time because of power demands. The satellite produces up to 1 kW, roughly the power of a small microwave oven. Tests of the chip against extreme temperatures and space radiation continue.