Discover how seven space power projects plan to beam solar energy from orbit using lasers and wireless transmission.
The convergence of renewable energy demands and advanced laser technology is making space-based power transmission a tangible reality.Multiple organizations worldwide are developing sophisticated laser systems designed to harvest solar energy in orbit and beam it back to Earth, transforming how we think about global energy distribution.
Here are seven pioneering space laser systems currently in development or testing phases that could revolutionize terrestrial power generation.1. AetherfluxAetherflux/XFounded by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt, Aetherflux is one of the most well-funded ventures plying its trade in the space-based laser power transmission. The company secured $60 million in total funding and is gearing up to launch its first demo satellite in 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.The traditional approach relies on massive single satellites, but Aetherflux differs in this regard. The company will build a constellation of small satellites in the Earth’s low orbit that will work in cohesion to transmit power to multiple locations.Aetherflux’s approach provides higher power output and smaller surface footprints compared to microwave-based systems, with particular emphasis on supporting remote islands, disaster relief operations, and US military deployments.2. Overview EnergyUS-based startup Overview Energy launched in December 2025, which is developing a space-based solar power system using near-infrared lasers.Having secured $20 million in funding, it is building satellites in the geosynchronous orbit, about 36,000 kilometers above Earth. These satellites continuously collect sunlight and transmit it to existing solar farms.The energy sent is low-intensity, invisible infrared light, which allows ground-based solar projects to generate power even when the sun is not shining. Unlike other concepts, Overview’s wide-beam system is designed to be passively safe, with energy levels never stronger than sunlight.Overview Energy has already demonstrated accurate and safe power transmission over about 3 miles from a moving aircraft to ground solar panels.3. CaltechCaltech’s MAPLE systemCaltech’s Space Solar Power Project demonstrated wireless power transmission from space in 2023, when its Space Solar Power Demonstrator-1 satellite achieved a major milestone. Launched in January 2023, the satellite became operational and demonstrated its ability to beam detectable power to Earth on May 22, 2023.Caltech’s Ali Hajimiri developed MAPLE , which was the key innovation in the project. It features flexible, lightweight receiver arrays and integrated circuits – the first of its kind in space-based power transmission.The transmitted energy was successfully detected by a receiver in Pasadena, confirming the technology’s feasibility for future large-scale implementation.4. Space SolarSpace Solar, a three-year-old UK startup funded by the UK Space Agency and the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, is developing a large space-based power system called Cassiopeia. The modular satellite, planned for geostationary orbit, would span 1.8 kilometers and transmit energy to Earth using high-frequency radio waves rather than lasers.Space Solar demonstrated the world’s first 360-degree wireless power transmission in its Belfast laboratory, successfully lighting an LED sign by beaming energy in all directions.The company has also completed an 18-month, £1.7 million engineering project called Cassidi, assessing power beaming, in-space assembly, and ground receiver systems.Space Solar aims to launch a megawatt-scale demonstrator within a few years, scale to 180 megawatts within five years, and use offshore receiver stations near wind farms, with up to 68 launches needed to assemble the system in orbit.5. StarCatcher IndustriesStarCatcher Industries achieved a major milestone after transmitting 1.1 kilowatts of laser power wirelessly to commercial solar panels at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in November 2025. It remains the highest output among publicly disclosed wireless power transmission experiments to date.The company plans to establish a space power grid in which satellites in low Earth orbit can share power wirelessly via laser transmission. StarCatcher announced plans to begin demonstrations of space-to-ground power transmission in 2026, marking a critical step toward establishing reliable orbital energy distribution networks.6. Japan’s Space Solar Power System Japan’s SSPS project is one of the most technologically advanced government-backed initiatives, with development dating back to 1983. It involves launching satellites equipped with giant solar panels measuring 2 square kilometers that convert generated electricity into laser light for transmission to Earth.Japan aims to achieve unprecedented precision, with microwave transmission accuracy of less than 0.001 degrees angular error. Each satellite can generate 1 million kilowatts of electricity, equivalent to a nuclear power plant’s output, with capacity utilization rates of at least 90%.7. DARPA Power programDARPA’s POWER program is the US military’s commitment to wireless energy transmission, achieving a spectacular breakthrough in June 2025. The program successfully beamed over 800 watts of laser power across 5.3 miles – more than triple the power and five times the distance of previous tests.The system used a ground-based laser transmitter and a sophisticated receiver featuring a parabolic mirror that redirected the beam onto photovoltaic cells with over 20% transmission efficiency.The program’s broader vision includes creating chains of energy relays in the sky and eventually powering unmanned aerial vehicles and remote military installations.ConclusionSpace-based power transmission has moved from theoretical research to real-world demonstrations, driven by advances in laser systems, satellite design, and wireless energy control. Together, they signal growing confidence that energy can be reliably generated in orbit and delivered to Earth.As launch costs fall and in-orbit assembly matures, space-based solar power is increasingly being viewed as a viable complement to terrestrial renewables. These systems could unlock continuous, location-independent clean energy, supporting grids, remote regions, and critical infrastructure.If current timelines hold, the coming decade may mark the first large-scale integration of space-delivered power into everyday energy systems.
Caltech Electricity Lasers Microwaves Solar Power Space Power Systems
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Could architecture in space make a greener Earth?Humankind has the technology to go to space. Space architect Ariel Ekblaw says the bottleneck now is real estate: getting larger volumes of space stations in orbit. Her company is working on the equivalent of giant, magnetic space Legos—hexagons that could self-assemble in space into livable, workable structures. This episode, host Regina G.
Read more »
Amazing Itineraries: Discover Missouri’s Route 66, Day 3Amazing America’s Hunter Hulbert discovers Missouri's Route 66 with a visit to Grant’s Farm in St. Louis.
Read more »
Discover the Holy Land in 2026 with expert-led toursGet ready to make 2026 unforgettable with amazing travel promotions and inspiring tours!The Getaway Guru Larry Gelwix shared incredible deals from Morris Columb
Read more »
Discover the gate to salvation: Get your free copy of 'Putting On Christ''Putting on Christ' by author Steven Anthony Bishop seeks to inspire those who are diligent truth seekers. And now interested readers can get an e-book version for free.
Read more »
Amazing Itineraries: Discover Missouri’s Route 66, Day 5Amazing America’s Hunter Hulbert takes us inside Missouri’s Meramec Caverns and more.
Read more »
'Crash Clock' warns Earth orbit is nearing disaster as megaconstellations push space traffic to brinkA catastrophic satellite collision could occur in just 2.8 days if avoidance systems fail.
Read more »