Google’s Project Suncatcher satellite has successfully reached orbit and made initial contact, marking the start of a bold experiment to run artificial intelligence directly in space.

The refrigerator-sized satellite was launched on October 1 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It was among 130 payloads on the rideshare flight. Google confirmed the satellite had been deployed and established contact with ground controllers.

The satellite carries AI accelerator hardware that has been hardened for space. The team tested it against vibration, extreme temperatures and radiation before launch. Over the coming months, Google will study how the hardware performs in orbit, where solar power is abundant and cooling is nearly free.

Two more Suncatcher satellites are planned for 2027. The project aims to prove that data centres in orbit could one day handle AI workloads, reducing the energy demands of Earth-based computing. Space industry watchers say successful tests could attract commercial partners.