Google has announced a new initiative called Project Suncatcher, aiming to develop a potential way to alleviate resource limitations faced by energy-intensive AI data centers on Earth. This project proposes launching AI chips into space on solar-powered satellites, with the goal of creating space-based data centers.
The concept involves leveraging sunlight in space to provide continuous energy, which could help Google achieve its AI goals without contributing to increased emissions from terrestrial power plants or escalating electricity costs due to high demand. Travis Beals, a senior director at Google, highlights that space might ultimately be the most efficient location for scaling AI computation.
The company has shared information about the project’s progress on its blog and in a preprint paper that has not yet undergone peer review. Google envisions using Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) located on satellites equipped with solar panels capable of generating electricity more efficiently than those on Earth.
However, significant challenges remain for the project. Effective communication between satellites is essential, as competing with land-based data centers necessitates connections able to support data transfer rates of tens of terabits per second. Google suggests that positioning satellites closer together could enhance communication efficiency, though this raises concerns about increased risks of collisions and space debris.
Additionally, the TPUs must be resilient to higher radiation levels prevalent in space. Google has conducted tests on their Trillium TPUs, claiming they can endure radiation exposure equivalent to a five-year mission without sustaining permanent damage.
Currently, the costs of launching TPUs into space are high. Nonetheless, an internal cost analysis indicates that by the mid-2030s, the expenses associated with a space-based data center may become comparable to those of an equivalent facility on Earth. Google plans to collaborate with the company Planet to launch prototype satellites by 2027 to test their hardware in orbit.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/813894/google-project-suncatcher-ai-datacenter-satellites