It is stated that Google is in talks with SpaceX within the scope of its efforts to establish data centers in orbit. According to information provided by the Wall Street Journal, the company is considering utilizing SpaceX’s rocket and satellite infrastructure for its “Project Suncatcher” initiative, which is still in its early stages. Although there is no official agreement between the parties, possible cooperation attracts attention. Because Google and SpaceX are two major technology companies that are increasingly competing, especially in the fields of artificial intelligence infrastructure and cloud computing.
Google’s space-based data center project named “Project Suncatcher” was first announced in November 2025. With this initiative, the company began to investigate whether it was technically and economically feasible to move data centers into Earth orbit. On the SpaceX front, Elon Musk announced that SpaceX and xAI would merge in February 2026 and said that one million data processing satellites could be sent into orbit in the long term. Despite this, it is stated that Google’s work started before SpaceX’s plans in this field.
It is stated that Google is in contact not only with SpaceX but also with different rocket launch companies. In addition, it is reported that the company is working with Planet Labs on satellite design and production. Planet Labs currently stands out as one of the companies experienced in Earth observation satellites. Thanks to this collaboration, it is thought that Google aims to develop the data processing infrastructure to be used in orbit more quickly.
Recent statements made by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk show that space-based data centers are being taken more seriously in the technology sector. Pichai said in an interview with Fox News in November that he thought establishing data centers in space would become a normal method in about ten years. While announcing the merger of SpaceX and xAI, Musk argued that the cheapest method of producing artificial intelligence processing power in three years would be satellite systems.
Data centers in space face technical hurdles
However, experts think that plans to move artificial intelligence processing power into space on a large scale pose serious technical problems. Researchers pointed out that GPU-based systems, in particular, would be directly affected by cosmic radiation in space. It is stated that the error rates of hardware constantly exposed to radiation may increase and reliability problems may occur in artificial intelligence calculations.
In addition, cooling problems in space are shown as one of the main issues that need to be solved. While liquid or air-based active cooling systems are used in data centers on Earth, it is possible to transfer heat only through radiation in the near-vacuum environment of space. This makes it difficult to operate systems that produce high processing power efficiently. It does not seem easy to develop a sustainable solution with current technology, especially considering the energy consumption and heat production required by large-scale artificial intelligence models.
On the other hand, the environmental and operational effects of placing millions of satellites in low Earth orbit are also discussed. Experts state that this density may have negative consequences on the atmosphere. In addition, the increase in space traffic may make it difficult for other companies and government agencies to conduct safe space operations. Due to the increasing number of satellites in recent years, space debris and collision risks are among the topics that are closely monitored.
It is not yet clear whether a possible agreement between Google and SpaceX will materialize. However, the fact that technology companies are increasingly investing in the idea of ββmoving artificial intelligence infrastructure outside the Earth shows that the competition for data processing capacity has moved to a different dimension. Despite this, it does not seem easy at this stage for data centers in space to become widespread in the short term due to technical limitations, costs and environmental impacts.
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