Star Catcher beat DARPA's existing record by beaming 1.1 kW of power at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Space-based solar power firm Star Catcher Industries has set a new record for beaming electricity over a long distance. The firm’s Star Catcher Network technology successfully beamed 1.1 kW of power during tests.
Using off-the-shelf solar panel components, the team beat the existing record held by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency .The company claims its new tests, carried out at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, could help unlock unlimited solar power.Making space-based solar power a realitySpace-based solar power was first proposed by Czechoslovakian-born American scientist and aerospace engineer Peter Glaser in 1968. Glaser proposed placing large solar collecting arrays in space and beaming the energy down to Earth via microwave beams. Unlike solar panel farms on Earth, space-based solar power could provide electricity 24/7. Attaching solar panels to satellites means that weather is no longer a factor to take into consideration. Satellites can also be placed in such a way that they are constantly facing the Sun.Star Catcher’s record-breaking test saw the company beam optical power to commercial off-the-shelf solar panels. Source: Star CatcherThe concept has gained traction in recent years, as global governments slowly shift away from fossil fuel dependence. China has experimented with large solar receiver towers, and DARPA is also testing the technology. The agency held the previous record, set in June 2025, when it beamed 800 W. Star Catcher uses a similar technology to DARPA. Instead of generating microwaves, it uses a grid of solar panels to power an optical multi-spectrum laser. Essentially, a highly concentrated beam of light is transmitted to another solar array, allowing it to use that energy. Star Catcher aims to first use this technology to “supercharge” other satellites in space, before eventually beaming power down to Earth. The method could also be used to provide power for orbital data centers and in-orbit manufacturing satellites.Building a ‘resilient orbital power grid’According to Star Catcher, “using space-based optical power beaming, the Star Catcher Network collects and concentrates sunlight in orbit, refines it into optimized wavelengths for spacecraft solar panels, and wirelessly transmits it to client satellites, allowing them to generate two to ten times more power, on-demand, with no retrofit required.”For its latest test, the company used several different solar panel designs. While this test took place on the ground, Star Catcher aims to perform an orbital demonstration next year. In a press statement, Star Catcher CEO and co-founder Andrew Rush explained that the test paves the way for space-based solar power operations to finally take flight. “These real-world results offer definitive proof of the soundness and maturity of our approach to building a resilient orbital power grid,” he said.
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