Jacksonville Startup Tested Space Laser Power Transmission
The prototype satellite launch aims to validate wireless orbital energy provisioning by the decade's end.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Space
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Will space-based power generation become an affordable energy solution within the next decade?
Jacksonville-based startup Star Catcher has launched a satellite prototype, the Protostar, to demonstrate space-based laser energy transmission. The experimental mission seeks to provide reliable power to orbital assets like data centers and instruments.
Why it matters
As satellite operators demand consistent power for increasing computational loads in orbit, wireless energy transmission offers a solution to mitigate physical battery limitations. Lower launch costs are currently driving the economic feasibility of such orbital power infrastructure.
Star Catcher previously demonstrated a ground test capable of delivering 1 kilowatt of power. This follows a 2023 Naval Research Laboratory experiment that achieved 11 percent efficiency in laser power transmission over a 5-foot distance during a 100-day trial.
The players
Star Catcher
A Jacksonville-based startup developing orbital energy transmission infrastructure for satellite fleets.
US Space Force
The branch of the U.S. Armed Forces responsible for space operations that awarded the firm $30 million.
Naval Research Laboratory
The corporate research laboratory for the U.S. Navy that conducts foundational studies on orbital laser power.
The details
The system operates by utilizing lenses to collect sunlight, which is then refined into specific wavelengths to create a high-energy laser beam. This beam is directed at target satellites that require supplemental power for their onboard instruments or computational data centers. The mechanism focuses on mitigating the need for massive, heavy solar arrays on every individual orbital craft by centralizing generation.
Timeline
1941: Isaac Asimov wrote a science fiction piece regarding space-based power.
1970s: NASA began investigating the feasibility of solar power in space.
2023: The Naval Research Laboratory tested space lasers for 100 days.
September 28, 2026: Star Catcher launched the Protostar satellite prototype.
Before 2030: The company aims to provide commercial orbital power services.
The Tech Race
This mission builds upon foundational studies from the Naval Research Laboratory's 2023 experiment and Caltech's microwave solar transmission tests. By scaling these concepts into an orbital prototype, Star Catcher is attempting to lead the industry in commercializing energy distribution for space-based data centers.
This technology will initially serve satellite operators requiring consistent energy for data centers and instruments in orbit. While the service remains in the prototype stage, the transition to commercial availability is targeted for before the end of the decade.
The takeaway
The successful deployment of the Protostar prototype marks a transition from laboratory-scale testing to operational orbital trials. Industry observers should track the company’s progress on their 10 signed power purchase agreements as a signal for the viability of this energy market.
What happens next
Star Catcher is currently tracking toward providing commercial power provisioning services in orbit before 2030.
Further reading
For more developments in orbital infrastructure and energy, visit the Space archive.
Live Poll
Will space-based power generation become an affordable energy solution within the next decade?
