Our Mission: To create the landscape and conditions for commercial Space Solar Power technology by the U.S. to become successful and self-sustaining.

SSP Bulletin

Space Frontier Foundation Updates

• The International Conference on Energy from Space 2025, organized by Space Energy Insights and the Space Frontier Foundation, will take place from November 19 to 21 in France. The theme for this year's conference is "Energy for Security." The full program is listed here. Register for the conference here!

Notable News

• Japanese researchers have created a machine learning method that improves wireless power transfer systems by keeping voltage stable as loads change. This new approach reduces voltage fluctuations significantly and increases efficiency. It simplifies design and could lower costs, aiding the wider use of wireless power technologies. The research is published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems.
  
• Star Catcher has signed a Power Purchase Agreement with Astro Digital to develop the first space-based energy grid. This involves the Star Catcher Network, which will collect solar energy and transmit it wirelessly to satellites, increasing their power capabilities. This partnership marks a major step toward commercializing SBSP and creating sustainable orbital energy economy
• CNBC covered a feature on Aetherflux where they summarize Baiju Bhatt's vision of solving the problem of getting power into the battlefield, where diesel generators become enemy targets. CNBC also spoke to Christian Garcia of Breakthrough Energy Ventures who have invested in Aetherflux.
  
• NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) announced a breakthrough in laser-based wireless power transmission. Key innovations included beam shaping technology from NTT and current leveling from MHI, that allowed 1 kW to be transmitted, and receiving 152 W at 15% efficiency. This advancement could enable stable long-distance power delivery for remote areas, various mobile platforms, isolated islands and disaster-stricken regions.
• Sanjay Vijendran has co-founded an energy startup called TerraSpark with Jasper D. and Matthias Laug to address the growing fragility, complexity, and cost of global energy systems. The team aims to build the energy infrastructure of the future and plans to share updates on their journey as TerraSpark develops.
• Novaspace announced the winners of its 2025 Excellence Awards and the WSBW Startup Challenge during the 28th World Space Business Week in Paris, with over 1,600 participants from 57 countries. MDA won the Global Satellite Business Award, SES received the Strategic Transaction Award, KT SAT earned the Regional Satellite Business Award, and Starlink was recognized with the Universal Broadband Award. 
•  Virtus Solis is under contract with the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Administration - Energy (ARPA-E) for an 18 month, $2.1M project (10% cost share, reimbursed). While this award was announced in January and later frozen, the negotiations restarted in July. This award brings their today fund-raising to date to $5.2M. They are the first US public money awarded in the wireless power transfer vertical, and the first US public money awarded to a Space Based Solar Power business.
• At the 28th World Space Business Week, Novaspace announced the winners of the 2025 Excellence Awards and WSBW Startup Challenge. Honorees included MDA, SES, KT SAT, and Starlink. Awards recognized achievements in satellite connectivity, Earth observation, and innovation, highlighting advancements in space technologies.

SSP Systems Enablers

• Solestial, has created a new type of space solar power using flexible silicon photovoltaics that can withstand radiation. Unlike traditional solar cells made from expensive materials, Solestial's cells can heal from damage at higher temperatures and don't need heavy glass. This innovation makes them lighter, cheaper, and quicker to produce, lasting up to ten years in space.
  
• Starpath, a space startup, is focused on producing low-cost solar panels for space use. It aims to reduce the cost of space solar by about 90%, with prices around $9.81 to $11.20 per watt, compared to the usual $75–250 per watt. The company plans to ship panels within three days and scale production to 40 megawatts in a year. It faces challenges related to durability, certification, and production reliability.
  
• Boeing has introduced a new 3D printing process for making spacecraft solar arrays that halves manufacturing time and simplifies production. Previously, solar panels needed many separate parts to be manually assembled, which was time-consuming. The new method prints the entire panel as one piece, including the support frame and wiring, improving precision and reducing failure points and costs. This innovation aims to speed up satellite deployment and improve design and performance in space systems.

Upcoming Events

• The Lunar and Mars Economy Summit is organized by Payload Space and will be held on October 14-15, 2025, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. It aims to bring together space industry leaders to discuss the future of the lunar and Martian economies, covering topics like resource utilization, transportation, and collaboration efforts. Paul Damphousse is giving an exclusive look at how Volta is delivering energy with lasers for the lunar surface.
  
• Experience POWER 2025 will be held from October 29–31 in Denver, Colorado, bringing together leaders in the energy sector to discuss issues like decarbonization and grid modernization. SBSP is presented as a promising solution for clean energy and tackling urgent challenges effectively. Senior Energy Advisor Dr. Leet Wood from Space Frontier Foundation will speak on SBSP on October 31 at 9 AM.
• Martin Soltau will speak on a panel at ELUK 2025 (October 15–16 at The Oval) about innovative technologies for achieving Net Zero. The session will discuss SBSP's role in providing reliable energy. Soltau emphasizes the importance of this technology following recent grid blackouts in Spain and Portugal.
• The International Conference on Energy from Space 2025, sponsored by Space Energy Insights and the Space Frontier Foundation, is scheduled to be held on November 19-21 in France. This year's theme is "Energy for Security". Check out more about the conference here.

Promising Use Cases

Image Courtesy: NASA (Space-based Solar Power concept illustration)

Power Demands 

The Technology Pioneers, by World Economic Forum, include startups focused on global issues like circular economy, energy, food, water sustainability, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and space exploration. A key challenge for these innovations is meeting the growing demand for reliable energy to work effectively. SBSP offers a solution by capturing solar energy in space and sending it to Earth, providing a continuous power source. This allows companies like Exowatt, a data center company, to operate fully and supports advancements in technology. SBSP promotes a clean energy future and helps innovators tackle urgent challenges effectively. By supplying uninterrupted energy, SBSP reduces dependence on fossil fuels and mitigates the energy constraints that can slow innovation. In doing so, it creates a scalable, global platform for sustainable technological growth across multiple sectors.

Image Courtesy: NYISO

Grid Reliability 

The integration of renewable energy sources like wind and solar into power grids has created challenges for grid reliability in several regions. In New York, differences in transmission capabilities between upstate and downstate have caused congestion and inefficiencies with clean energy delivery. Georgia faces rising electricity demands, especially in Atlanta, with data center needs projected to triple in the next decade. Aging infrastructure in Georgia has strained the grid, raising energy costs and reliability concerns. SBSP could address these issues by providing a continuous energy source from space, reducing congestion in New York and supporting Georgia's growing electricity needs while enhancing overall grid reliability and sustainability.

SSP Coverage in the News

Outsiders' Perspectives

• The video by BBC discusses SSP as a way to generate renewable energy using large solar panels or satellites in orbit. These panels can collect sunlight constantly without interference from the Earth’s atmosphere, making energy production more reliable than traditional ground-based solar farms. However, there are challenges, including high costs for launching solar structures, the need for advanced technology for construction and safe power transmission.
• Will Dufton, the principal of Giant Ventures, created a post that compares the U. S. railroad boom in the 1800s to today’s space economy, highlighting how railroads led to growth and new businesses. SBSP is highlighted on page 26, emphasizing its role in global innovation.
• An article written by Martin Sweeting describes a long-term vision for space activities by 2075, highlighting their potential to change society, industry, and culture. Key advancements, like reusable rockets and green propellants, could lead to orbital manufacturing and suborbital transport. The article discusses SBSP systems that supply solar energy to Earth, supporting energy needs and reducing fossil fuel reliance. By having solar energy in orbit and delivering it directly to Earth, SBSP could form the foundation of a reliable, global clean energy network.

Experts and Advocates on SSP

• The EisnerAmper TechTalk episode features Andrew Rush, CEO of Star Catcher, discussing plans for an in-orbit energy grid. This system would transmit power from solar satellites to spacecraft, providing on-demand energy.
•  The Youtube video features Edward Tate, co-founder of Virtus Solis, discussing the company's work on satellites that collect solar energy in orbit and send it to Earth wirelessly using microwaves. This technology aims to provide consistent and clean energy, unaffected by weather or night-time. Virtus Solis plans a demonstration mission by 2027 and aims to address various engineering and financial challenges.
• The Naked Scientists podcast episode “Made in Orbit: How to Sustain Life in Space” discusses the challenges of living in space. This episode features Martin Soltau, CEO of Space Solar, explaining how harvesting solar energy in space offers advantages over terrestrial solar panels, such as uninterrupted sunlight and higher energy yields due to the absence of atmospheric interference.