Google & SpaceX: Orbital AI Data Centers in Advanced Talks

Google is in advanced talks with SpaceX to launch orbital data centers. This could turn a moonshot AI infrastructure project into a significant deal for what might be the largest IPO in history. The discussions, confirmed by Google, involve using SpaceX rockets to launch Project Suncatcher satellites. Google announced this initiative last year as a research effort. It aims to network solar-powered satellites with its Tensor Processing Units into an orbital AI cloud. Google already owns a 6.1% stake in SpaceX. Now, the two companies are negotiating a deal that would provide SpaceX with a major customer for its IPO. SpaceX confidentially filed for a public listing this summer, targeting a valuation between $1.75 trillion and $2 trillion. Project Suncatcher plans to launch two prototype satellites by early 2027. Google's CEO described this as a "moonshot," with plans to send "tiny racks of machines" into orbit for testing. He believes space-based data centers could become standard within a decade. SpaceX has been promoting orbital data centers as its next big commercial product. The company recently filed for authorization to launch up to 1 million satellites. This collaboration could impact the future of AI computing infrastructure.