Star Catcher Industries announced a major breakthrough in its development of a space-based power grid. On March 21, the company successfully beamed concentrated solar energy over 100 meters to satellite solar arrays at EverBank Stadium in Florida. This marked the first end-to-end test of their power beaming technology.
The Jacksonville, Florida-based startup powered multiple off-the-shelf solar arrays, demonstrating the feasibility of their vision without requiring modifications to existing satellites. “This demonstration marks the first end-to-end test of our space power beaming technology, proving we can collect and wirelessly transmit energy with the precision needed for space applications,” said Star Catcher co-founder and CEO Andrew Rush. “Today’s success puts us one step closer to eliminating power constraints in space and unlocking new capabilities for satellites and the customers they serve.”
While the company did not disclose the exact power transmitted, they plan a larger demonstration this summer at a former Space Shuttle landing site at Cape Canaveral. This test aims to beam hundreds of watts of energy over a kilometer to multiple simulated satellites. Although the current tests use stationary arrays, Star Catcher envisions a network of 200 power-beaming satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), providing energy to other spacecraft also operating in LEO.
Star Catcher has yet to set a timeline for its first in-orbit demonstration or the commencement of commercial services. However, this successful ground-based test represents a significant leap forward in the development of a revolutionary power solution for space.