Solar Orbiter

Google is working on Project Suncatcher, an initiative to run AI chips aboard satellites in space. The idea is that orbiting datacenters could harness continuous solar power and overcome Earth's energy and cooling limits for AI computing. Educators and technology commentators, including an instructor presenting under the Apni Pathshala banner, are explaining the concept to audiences, framing it as a development that could reshape how large-scale AI computation is powered and delivered.

Astronomers have identified a planet that survived the death of its host star, orbiting a white dwarf — the burnt-out remnant left after a star exhausted its fuel. Dubbed a 'Phoenix planet' for rising from the stellar ashes, the finding suggests planets can endure a star's violent end, prompting discussion about what this means for the long-term fate of our own solar system.

A new study finds that the solar system's long-term dynamics are unstable and will eventually be completely destroyed, with planetary orbits drifting chaotically over vast timescales. Coverage by 404 Media has drawn attention on Hacker News, where readers are debating the science behind the prediction and what 'terminal instability' really means for Earth's distant future.

New research reported by AAS Nova suggests the Solar System's expected lifetime is roughly a billion times shorter than previously estimated, pointing to far greater long-term instability in planetary orbits. The finding revises how long the current planetary arrangement can persist before gravitational interactions between planets destabilise it, prompting discussion among astronomers and science readers about what this means for Earth's distant future.

A new item from Hackaday under its science, space and astronomy tags plays on the famous Star Wars line to highlight a story about an exoplanet — a planet orbiting a star outside our solar system. No further details are given beyond the headline, so what exactly was discovered or observed remains unstated. Space enthusiasts are sharing the piece, keeping exoplanet research in the conversation.

The idea of placing data centers in orbit is drawing attention as a way to meet growing demand for computing power. Supporters point to unlimited solar energy and free cooling in space, while skeptics question launch costs, maintenance and radiation risks. The debate fits into wider discussion about the energy footprint of AI and how future cloud infrastructure might be built beyond Earth.

A new report argues that the solar system is fundamentally unstable, with planetary orbits shifting chaotically over long timescales and potentially leading to collisions or planets being ejected. Scientists have long modeled these gravitational instabilities, and renewed attention to the findings is prompting discussion about Earth's eventual fate in the distant future.

Google has launched prototype satellites carrying its AI chips to test whether data centres could one day operate in orbit. The experiment aims to assess whether space-based computing, powered by solar energy, could reduce terrestrial energy demands and support the huge power needs of AI. The move puts Google in direct comparison with rivals exploring similar orbital computing concepts.

A new study reported by 404 Media concludes that our solar system is terminally unstable and will eventually be completely destroyed. The finding points to the long-term chaotic dynamics of planetary orbits, which over vast timescales can destabilize the configuration of the planets, ultimately dismantling the system we know today.

The Pentagon is backing an ambitious project to collect solar power in space and beam it back to Earth, a concept long discussed as a potential source of clean, continuous energy. The plan, reported on energy news outlets, would involve harvesting sunlight in orbit and transmitting it wirelessly to receiving stations on the ground, bypassing weather and nighttime limits that affect terrestrial solar farms.

Google's Project Suncatcher has put its first satellite into orbit carrying four TPU chips as an early test of computing in space. The prototype runs its TPUs for about 15 minutes at a time before needing to cool down, because a spacecraft has no air or water for cooling and must shed heat by radiation alone. Engineers point to this as a key constraint for future orbital data centers, which supporters hope could one day run at scale using solar power in orbit.

Google's Project Suncatcher, an experimental effort to test running AI data center hardware in space, has launched aboard a SpaceX rocket. The mission marks a first step toward Google's longer-term ambition of orbiting data centers that use solar power to meet the enormous energy demands of AI. Observers in technology and space circles are watching closely to see whether the test hardware can operate reliably in orbit.

EarthSky has published a guided tour of the solar system's strangest moons, highlighting the most unusual satellites orbiting the planets. The piece walks readers through moons known for their odd shapes, wild orbits, extreme surfaces and other peculiar traits that set them apart from more familiar bodies like our own Moon. It offers a quick, accessible astronomy roundup for curious readers.

Space-based solar startup Virtus Solis has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Brae Systems for up to 250 megawatts of orbital solar energy. The deal represents a landmark commercial commitment to space-based solar power, a technology long considered speculative. If delivered, it would make Virtus Solis one of the first companies to sell electricity collected in space to customers on Earth under a long-term contract.

On February 15, 2022, the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter captured the largest solar prominence eruption ever recorded in a single field of view, using its Full High Resolution Imager. The eruption involved a massive structure of hot gas, held in place by complex magnetic fields, extending millions of kilometres from the Sun, offering a dramatic view of extreme solar activity.

Google has launched a satellite to test whether data centers could be built and operated in space. The experiment will assess how the company's computing infrastructure might perform in orbit, where solar power is constant and cooling costs differ. The move signals growing interest among tech firms in moving parts of the AI-driven data center boom beyond Earth, though analysts note enormous technical and cost hurdles remain before such facilities could be viable.

Kepler-1314 b is a Neptune-like giant exoplanet located 463 light-years from Earth. Discovered in 2016 by NASA's Kepler telescope, it has a radius about 5.11 times that of Earth and completes an orbit in just 5.42 days. Astronomy communicators are sharing the planet's profile alongside NASA's Eyes on Exoplanets visualisation, drawing renewed attention to the Kepler mission's catalog of worlds beyond the solar system.

Google has reportedly placed its first orbital data center into orbit, marking a step toward computing infrastructure in space. The development was highlighted by computer scientist Daniel Lemire on his blog, filed under space and technology. Orbital data centers could offer solar-powered, always-illuminated computing, though questions remain about maintenance, cooling and radiation resilience.

Redwire has been awarded a follow-on contract to provide its Roll-Out Solar Array wings for Axiom Space's second commercial space station module. The deal extends the company's existing role in powering Axiom's expanding orbital infrastructure. The announcement was carried by financial news outlets, drawing attention to Redwire's growing space technology portfolio.

Scientists report that the solar system will break apart much sooner than previously believed, according to a Euronews headline. The finding suggests existing models of the long-term stability of planetary orbits may need revision. Details of the research, the timeline involved, and which team made the discovery are not provided in the available reporting.

A commercial space station's second module is being fitted with two solar arrays, which will expand the station's power supply as construction continues in orbit. The addition of the solar wings marks another step in building out private orbital infrastructure, though details on the operator, launch timing and deployment schedule have not yet been confirmed.

Elon Musk has floated a SpaceX moonshot to build AI computing infrastructure in orbit, using satellites with solar power to handle data-center workloads. Commentators argue the idea will not uproot neocloud companies, the firms offering cloud GPU capacity for AI, citing the immense cost, engineering hurdles and timescales of orbital data centers compared with fast-growing terrestrial GPU cloud providers.

The Department of War has funded a project to beam solar power from space, according to a news report. Space-based solar power involves collecting energy in orbit and transmitting it to Earth, typically via microwave or laser beams. Interest in the technology has grown as militaries and energy companies look for reliable, continuous renewable power, since orbiting collectors avoid clouds and nighttime losses. Details about the specific contractor, funding amount and timeline were not provided.

Google has unveiled Project Suncatcher, an initiative to run its artificial intelligence chips aboard satellites orbiting Earth. The project would move data-centre computing into space, potentially harnessing solar power above the atmosphere to power large-scale A.I. workloads. Details on timelines and partners remain limited, but the announcement has drawn attention across the technology and semiconductor sectors as companies explore alternatives to terrestrial computing infrastructure.

Google has launched an experimental AI data center prototype into space aboard a SpaceX rocket. The project signals a push to move data center infrastructure beyond Earth, potentially using solar power and orbit to scale AI computing. The prototype will be tested to see whether orbital data centers are technically and economically viable.

Astronomers have reported detecting a radio signal from Beta Pictoris b, a giant exoplanet orbiting the young star Beta Pictoris about 63 light-years from Earth. The observation, covered by science outlets, is drawing attention because radio emissions from a planet beyond the solar system could offer a new way to study exoplanets' magnetic fields and atmospheres.

Google has launched an experimental satellite to test its proposal to put data centers in space. The idea is that orbiting data centers could be powered by uninterrupted solar energy, easing the growing energy and water demands of terrestrial facilities. The satellite is designed to demonstrate whether the ambitious concept can work in practice. Observers note that major questions remain about cost, reliability and the practicalities of operating computing infrastructure in orbit.

A startup is planning an orbital demonstration of technology that uses lasers to transmit sunlight as power to satellites. The concept aims to let spacecraft draw energy from lasers rather than relying only on solar panels or onboard batteries, potentially extending mission life and reducing mass. Details about the company, timeline and funding remain limited, but the announcement has drawn interest as space-based power transmission moves closer to real-world testing.

SpaceX's Starship rocket is at the center of a new debate over whether orbital data centers could become economically viable. The argument holds that Starship's projected low launch costs could make it cheaper to put computing infrastructure in orbit, powered by continuous solar energy, than to expand terrestrial facilities. The idea carries potentially trillion-dollar market implications, though skeptics question thermal management, maintenance and latency challenges.

Google has unveiled the first prototype satellite for Project Suncatcher, an initiative to test artificial intelligence hardware in orbit. The prototype is designed to evaluate how AI compute systems perform in space, where solar power is more abundant. The announcement has drawn attention from technology observers discussing what it could mean for the future of data centers and space-based computing.

The Pentagon has ordered a test of an orbital solar power beacon, according to OilPrice. The project would collect solar energy in space and transmit it as a beacon, a concept long studied for supplying power to remote military installations without fuel convoys. Details on the contractor, timeline and scale of the demonstration have not been released, and it remains unclear whether the test is aimed at operational deployment or purely research purposes.