Google flies to Seattle as orbital data center talks with SpaceX intensify

Google flew from San Jose to Seattle on May 19, landing at Boeing Field in a Gulfstream G550. The 1-hour 53-minute trip on N10XG arrived just after 4 p.m. local time.

The same week, Bloomberg and TechCrunch reported that Google is in advanced talks with SpaceX to launch orbital data centers, part of a broader push into space-based computing. SpaceX, preparing for a $1.75 trillion IPO later this year, has framed orbital data centers as its next major commercial product, while Google’s Project Suncatcher aims to launch prototype satellites by 2027. The Seattle area is home to SpaceX’s Starlink manufacturing and research facilities, making it a natural venue for face-to-face discussions.

Google’s flight to Seattle follows a pattern of business travel: earlier this week, the same aircraft flew a roundtrip between Teterboro and San Jose, likely for meetings on the East Coast. The company has long relied on Moffett Field as a base for its fleet, secured through a 60-year, $1.16 billion lease with NASA in 2014.