x.com/gleech/status/2106137752827838847
1 correction found
In partnership with Google, SpaceX launches Google TPUs into orbit as part of the "Project Sun" initiative to test the feasibility of data centers in space.
Google’s project is called Project Suncatcher, not “Project Sun,” and Google says the mission was developed with Planet, with SpaceX serving as the rideshare launch provider.
Full reasoning
Google’s published materials describe this effort differently from the post.
First, the initiative is Project Suncatcher, not “Project Sun.” Google describes it as a long-term moonshot to explore whether space could host scalable machine-learning infrastructure.
Second, Google says the initial test mission “was developed in partnership with Planet” and flies “onboard the upcoming Transporter-18 rideshare mission with SpaceX.” That means SpaceX is the launch provider for the rideshare mission, not the project partner described by Google.
So the sentence is inaccurate in at least two concrete ways:
- It gives the wrong project name ("Project Sun" instead of Project Suncatcher).
- It misstates the partnership structure. Google’s own description says the mission was developed with Planet, while SpaceX provides the rideshare launch.
2 sources
- Behind Project Suncatcher, our moonshot to put AI in space
After years of research, Project Suncatcher is scheduled to embark on its first test in orbit... This initial mission onboard the upcoming Transporter-18 rideshare mission with SpaceX was developed in partnership with Planet.
- Meet Project Suncatcher, a research moonshot to scale machine learning compute in space.
Today we’re announcing Project Suncatcher, our new research moonshot to one day scale machine learning in space... Our next step is a learning mission in partnership with Planet to launch two prototype satellites by early 2027 that will test our hardware in orbit.