- Star Catcher Industries has unveiled bold plans to build the world’s first space-based energy grid to power satellites.
- The unique energy grid will beam substantial broad-spectrum power to spacecraft in LEO and beyond.
Star Catcher Industries, a Florida-based startup, has unveiled bold plans to build the world’s first space-based energy grid to power satellites.
In a major boost, the startup has raised $12.25 million in seed funding to build its constellation of power-beaming satellites. The first of these satellites could be in orbit by next year.
Star Catcher Network aims to advance space operations by providing a reliable and abundant power source to the low-Earth orbit satellites.
“We’re confident Star Catcher will do for orbital power what SpaceX has done for launch. They’re a proven, veteran commercial space team executing on an audacious vision at high speed,” said Andrew Sather, Principal at Initialized Capital, who led the funding round.
Beaming energy from space to Earth is a fast-expanding market. For instance, Caltech has been conducting research on space-based solar power and has successfully demonstrated power beaming to Earth.
Moreover, a UK-based company, Space Solar, has made significant strides in wireless power transmission technology and demonstrated a 360-degree power transmission system. A key advantage of space-based solar power is its ability to provide uninterrupted energy, unlike its Earth-based tech.
However, these initiatives focus on Earth’s energy demands and do not include satellite power options. That’s where Star Catcher’s first-of-its-kind network comes in. The unique energy grid will beam substantial broad-spectrum power to spacecraft in LEO and beyond.
Furthermore, the network will consist of “power node” satellites positioned in low Earth orbit, around 900 miles (1,500 kilometres) above the Earth. These satellites will harness solar power and transmit it efficiently to customer spacecraft. By supplying energy at higher intensities than sunlight, the network will allow spacecraft to generate five to 10 times more power than their existing solar array