Solar Orbiter

Google's Project Suncatcher proposes running AI chips in space, with satellites orbiting Earth to harness continuous solar power for large-scale computing. The idea is pitched as a potential breakthrough that could reshape how AI infrastructure is built, easing energy and cooling limits on the ground. Commentators and educators are breaking down the technical ambitions and challenges, from launch costs to radiation and heat management.

A new study suggests the solar system is dynamically unstable over the long term and will eventually be completely destroyed, with planetary orbits gradually drifting into chaos. The finding is drawing wide attention, with readers debating the timescales involved and what the research says about the fragility of the cosmic arrangements we take for granted.

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.

Discussion is growing around the idea of placing data centers in orbit to meet rising demand for computing power. Supporters argue space offers constant solar energy and simpler cooling than terrestrial facilities, while skeptics point to launch costs, maintenance and latency as major hurdles. The topic sits at the intersection of space policy, satellite infrastructure and the booming AI data center market.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.