If any domain perfectly suits laser light WPT, it is space. Vast distances, clear lines of sight and extreme value per delivered watt make power beaming a natural fit for satellites, space stations and lunar infrastructure. In 2026, the first commercial on-orbit laser power demos will begin to test this vision at scale.

Space Solar 2.0: Smaller, Smarter, Laser-First

Classic space-based solar power concepts imagined gigantic microwave arrays sending gigawatts to Earth. Today’s startups are thinking smaller and smarter. Aetherflux, founded by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt, is developing satellites that harvest solar energy in orbit and beam it to Earth or other spacecraft using lasers. The company has raised significant funding and plans a 2026 demonstration focused on proving the economics at modest power levels rather than aiming for grid-scale output on day one. New Atlas

Laser beams offer several advantages over microwaves in this context. They can be tightly focused on small receivers, reducing the required ground footprint and making integration into existing facilities easier. They also avoid radio-frequency spectrum congestion and can be steered with high angular precision using lightweight optics and metasurfaces.

In parallel, Star Catcher is crafting a complementary model: a “space energy grid” in which optical power-beaming stations share energy among satellites and lunar assets. The company recently announced a record-breaking optical transmission demonstration and plans its first on-orbit power beaming mission in 2026, positioning itself as a kind of “power utility” for space. Star Catcher PR Newswire

Lunar Nights and Permanently Shadowed Craters

Laser WPT could solve one of the hardest problems in lunar exploration: surviving the night. A lunar day lasts about two Earth weeks, followed by two weeks of darkness and extreme cold. Batteries large enough to carry rovers or habitats through that period are heavy and costly to launch, while nuclear options raise regulatory and public-acceptance challenges.

Star Catcher and others have already demonstrated laser recharging of lunar rover prototypes, proving that beams can deliver enough energy to keep vehicles alive during extended dark periods. PR Newswire Future missions could place solar farms on peaks of eternal light near the lunar poles, then beam power into permanently shadowed craters where ice-rich regolith awaits mining. Laser beams, with their narrow cross-sections and high directionality, are ideal for carving “power corridors” into such difficult terrain.

The same logic applies to Moon-to-Moon or Moon-to-orbit power links, where line-of-sight is predictable and atmospheric distortion is absent. Here, the main engineering challenges are pointing precision, receiver alignment and dust management rather than weather or air turbulence.

Remote Communities, Disaster Zones and the Last Mile

Back on Earth, space-derived power beaming know-how could help address one of the thorniest decarbonization questions: how to bring reliable power to remote communities and disaster zones without building expensive, vulnerable transmission infrastructure.

Imagine a future where solar-rich regions or offshore platforms beam supplemental energy to microgrids in mountainous villages, islands or rapidly deployed refugee camps. While losses over many tens or hundreds of kilometers will remain significant, even a modest trickle of power—tens of kilowatts—could stabilize critical services like water treatment, refrigeration, and communications during crises.

Studies of application scenarios for optical power and information transfer already highlight the unique advantages of laser power beaming in scenarios where receivers must be small, lightweight and easily transported, such as remote sensors and portable terminals. Publica As costs fall, tapping into constellations of space power satellites or high-altitude platforms could become a realistic tool in the humanitarian and resilience toolkit.

Closing Thoughts and Looking Forward

Space is both the harshest testbed and the most natural habitat for laser light wireless power transfer. The vacuum removes atmospheric noise but replaces it with brutal constraints on mass, reliability, and thermal management. Companies like Aetherflux and Star Catcher are betting that 2026 demonstrations will prove a tipping point, unlocking new business models for space-to-space and space-to-Earth energy.

If they succeed, the downstream impacts will reach far beyond orbital mechanics. Lessons from space power beaming will inform standards, receiver designs and safety practices on Earth, while also giving planners new tools to support remote communities and critical infrastructure. In that sense, every watt of laser power that successfully lands on a PV panel in orbit may one day echo in brighter, more resilient lights far below.

Reference sites

Space Solar Startup Preps Laser-Beamed Power Demo for 2026 – New Atlas – https://newatlas.com/energy/laser-beamed-space-solar-power-aetherflux-2026-test/

The Billionaire Building Space Lasers to Power Earth – Freethink – https://www.freethink.com/space/space-based-solar-power-aetherflux

Record-Breaking Optical Power Beaming Proves Path to Scalable Power Grid for Space – PR Newswire – https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/record-breaking-optical-power-beaming-proves-path-to-scalable-power-grid-for-space-302603462.html

Startups Race to Make Space-Based Power a Reality – Payload Space – https://payloadspace.com/four-startups-race-to-make-space-based-power-a-reality/

Optical Power Transmission Lights Up Remote Possibilities – SPIE Photonics Focus – https://spie.org/news/photonics-focus/novdec-2024/transmitting-power-via-optics

Author and Co-Editor:
Benoit Lafrance, – Wireless Power Transfer Technologies, Montreal, Quebec;
Peter Jonathan Wilcheck, Co-Editor, Miami, Florida.

#SpaceSolar #Aetherflux #StarCatcher #LunarPower #CislunarGrid #RemoteEnergy #DisasterReliefPower #SpaceEnergyGrid #LaserSatellites #OrbitalWPT