Florida-based Star Catcher Industries raises $65 million for orbital power grid
Technology
Star Catcher Industries, a Florida startup, just raised $65 million (now $88 million total) to build the first orbital power grid.
Their plan? Use lasers to beam solar energy straight to satellites, to improve satellite power availability in orbit.
CEO Andrew Rush says this could help satellites work better and boost the whole space economy.
Star Catcher plans satellite power test
Star Catcher's power nodes will send energy directly to satellites' existing solar panels, no hardware upgrades needed.
This means longer life and more flexibility for things like national security missions or direct-to-phone satellite service.
The company is planning its first real test by sending energy to a free-flying satellite later this year, aiming for commercial rollout before 2030.