partnerScore 60/100Research
Planet Labs partnering with Google on Suncatcher to deploy TPUs in orbit for AI data centers, positioning as critical infrastructure provider for space-based compute
Will Marshall· Planet Labs· Space· 2026-05-11· about Planet Labs, Google (PL, GOOGL)
“We are already working on Suncatcher, where we're putting Google TPUs into orbit for them... Google chose us for this project because they know we're one of the couple of companies that can do it.”
Why it matters
Planet Labs is becoming infrastructure provider for Google's space-based compute initiative, creating long-term dependency and recurring revenue stream as AI data center demand accelerates.
Investment implication
Google's commitment to space-based compute via Planet Labs validates commercial viability of orbital AI infrastructure. Companies supplying to Suncatcher (launch, satellite components, thermal management) could see demand surge.