Space Lasers Set for First Untethered Test in Orbit

Jacksonville-based startup Star Catcher is preparing to launch its first prototype power-node aboard a SpaceX rocket “this week.” The system will gather sunlight, convert it to a laser beam, and transmit energy to a separate satellite in orbit. If successful, it would be the inaugural instance of laser-beamed power between two untethered objects in space, a milestone for emerging orbital data-center concepts championed by Google, SpaceX and other firms.

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The notion of generating electricity in orbit dates to a 1941 Isaac Asimov story and was examined by NASA in the 1970s. Decades later, declining launch prices have revived interest in orbital industries that could host data centers and other power-intensive assets, prompting startups like Star Catcher to pursue laser-based transmission.

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Star Catcher’s chief executive officer and co-founder Andrew Rush emphasizes the absence of an existing “power grid in space,” framing the laser link as a virtual transmission cable that could boost satellite uptime and profitability. Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light researcher Hanieh Fattahi notes that the historic cost barrier made space-based power transmission impractical, but current economics are changing that calculation.

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Star Catcher claims its laser-refined wavelengths can deliver up to ten times more power than diffuse sunlight captured by conventional solar panels, potentially extending operational periods for orbiting platforms.

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• “Launching large amounts of hardware into orbit was extremely expensive, so generating power in space and transmitting it elsewhere rarely made practical sense,” — Hanieh Fattahi, researcher, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light.

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• “There isn't a power grid in space,” — Andrew Rush, chief executive officer and co-founder, Star Catcher.

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