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Space Laser Beams Power to Earth
10 Dec
Summary
- Startup successfully transmitted thousands of watts using near-infrared laser.
- Technology beams power from aircraft to ground receiver.
- Operational satellites planned for geosynchronous orbit by 2030.
A space solar power startup, Overview Space, has emerged from stealth, successfully demonstrating a key technology for transmitting electricity from space to Earth. The company tested a system that beamed thousands of watts using a near-infrared laser from an aircraft at 5,000 meters altitude to a ground receiver.
This advance brings a decades-old vision closer to reality, offering a potential solution for continuous, carbon-neutral energy independent of terrestrial limitations like nighttime or cloud cover. The technology utilizes lasers, which allow for smaller transmission antennas compared to microwave-based concepts and are considered passively safe.
Overview Space plans to launch a low Earth orbit satellite demonstration in early 2028, followed by operational spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit by 2030. These satellites aim to deliver megawatts of power, leveraging mass production of spacecraft for economic scalability.
