Planet Launches 20 Satellites, Including the First Test of Google TPUs in Orbit

The Transporter-18 payload includes a Project Suncatcher prototype, the second Tanager hyperspectral satellite and 18 SuperDoves.

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL) launched 20 satellites aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission was the company’s 40th successful launch and brings its total to 718 satellites built and delivered on orbit.

Planet has made initial contact with Tanager-2, the Suncatcher prototype and two SuperDoves, and has begun commissioning. It expects to contact the remaining 16 SuperDoves on schedule as they deploy from D-Orbit’s ION orbital transfer vehicle.

The Project Suncatcher satellite, developed with Google, will run the first test of Google’s Tensor Processing Units in space. The moonshot project is exploring whether machine learning compute systems can run in orbit.

Tanager-2 and 18 SuperDoves Expand the Imaging Fleet

Tanager-2, developed with Carbon Mapper, carries a hyperspectral imaging payload built to capture 426 contiguous bands at roughly 5 nm spectral resolution and 30 m spatial resolution. Planet says the sensor suits methane detection, rare-earth element identification, water quality analysis and agricultural intelligence. The company plans to build and deploy at least three more Tanager satellites with Carbon Mapper.

The 18 SuperDoves of Flock 4J will supplement PlanetScope, Planet’s near-daily global monitoring mission serving commercial enterprise, civil government, and defense and intelligence customers.

Planet is now working on three fronts: PlanetScope as its core imaging business, Tanager for specialized sensing and Suncatcher as a test of whether orbit can host AI compute.