Alphabet Launches Homegrown AI Tensor Processing Chips Into Orbit On SpaceX Rocket

Aditya Raghunath • 4 minute read
Reviewed by: David Hanson
Last updated Oct 2, 2026

@Kmeel_com from pixabay via Canva, @3DSculptor from Getty Images via Canva

Key Stats for SpaceX Stock

  • Price change for SpaceX stock in last 1 month: 5%
  • $SPCX Stock Price as of Oct. 1: $148
  • 52-Week High: $226
  • $SPCX Stock Price Target: $226

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What Happened?

Alphabet (GOOGL) launched its AI chips into orbit on Thursday aboard a SpaceX (SPCX) Falcon 9 rocket.

Liftoff took place from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It went off without any problems. SpaceX deployed all payloads by 1 p.m. local time.

The flight was the Transporter-18 mission. It carried Planet Labs satellites, including a solar-powered prototype with Google’s tensor processing units, or TPUs.

This is the first in-orbit test of Project Suncatcher, a “moonshot” Google revealed in November 2025. Project Suncatcher aims to build solar-powered AI computing that can run nonstop in space.

Travis Beals, the project’s senior director, said the team has confirmed contact with the satellite and it is “operating as expected.”

In low Earth orbit, satellites get near-constant sunlight. Alphabet says that can produce up to eight times more solar power than on Earth.

Google has tested these chips on the ground, but it does not yet know how they will handle orbital conditions.

SPCX Stock Revenue, EBIT and Free Cash Flow Estimates in Billion USD (TIKR)

SpaceX plans its own orbital data centers. Elon Musk has said they could become the cheapest way to train AI within two to three years.

COO Gwynne Shotwell said the company will deploy “supercompute in space” in 2027.

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What the Market Is Telling Us About SpaceX Stock

This launch shows how closely Alphabet and SpaceX work together.

Alphabet is a major investor in SpaceX, and its stake is now worth over $82 billion. The two firms also compete in AI.

For anyone following SpaceX stock, a big outside customer using Falcon 9 for a new idea is a good sign.

The company is already growing fast.

  • SpaceX reported Q2 revenue of $7.8 billion, up 92%.
  • Adjusted EBITDA hit $3.5 billion.
  • The AI segment brought in $2.6 billion, helped by new cloud services deals.
  • SpaceX stock also benefits from a $47.5 billion backlog.
SPCX Stock Valuation Model (TIKR)

Still, space data centers face real hurdles. Experts note that launches are limited and costly.

Chips need cooling, radiation protection, and a way to handle extreme temperatures. Debris in orbit is another risk.

SpaceX is also spending heavily. Capital spending was about $18.4 billion last quarter, and the company still posted a net loss of $541 million.

SpaceX stock may keep moving on how fast its AI business grows and whether orbital computing becomes real.

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So what is SpaceX stock actually worth?

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Disclaimer:

Please note that the articles on TIKR are not intended to serve as investment or financial advice from TIKR or our content team, nor are they recommendations to buy or sell any stocks. We create our content based on TIKR Terminal’s investment data and analysts’ estimates. Our analysis might not include recent company news or important updates. TIKR has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading, and happy investing!

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