Can install ubuntu on my ssd via sata cable?

Im replacing my laptop hard drive into ssd. And I was wondering if I can install ubuntu using a sata cable before inserting the ssd into the laptop so that i won't have to use a usb installation anymore.

If you already have Ubuntu or another Linux distribution with the GRUB bootloader installed, you can boot the live system from an ISO file by adding an entry to your GRUB configuration. That way, you can boot the installer from the existing hard drive without burning a new DVD or creating a USB drive.

Follow this guide to add a configuration option to your GRUB 2 bootloader installation. When you boot the ISO, you can then select your SSD, but make sure the bootloader is being installed to the correct drive. However, if your system is EFI, your NVRAM entry will no longer work when the SSD is installed inside the laptop, rather than on the USB bus. You will need to either install the bootloader in 'removable' mode, in which case, the system will boot from the drive automatically without an NVRAM entry, and then correct the boot entry from there, or you need to boot a live system anyway to correct the problem.

The conclusion is, it's probably a lot easier just to create a new live system drive, either on USB or DVD, with the SSD in place in the SATA port, rather than messing around trying to avoid creating one.