Star Catcher is preparing to test an orbital system that collects sunlight and beams energy by laser to another spacecraft. Its Protostar demonstrator will launch on a SpaceX rocket alongside a cubesat. If the transfer succeeds, it would be the first laser power transmission between two untethered objects in space, tells Wired.com.
The concept addresses a constraint for satellites and proposed space data centers: solar panels and batteries limit how much equipment they can run. Star Catcher envisions power nodes that gather sunlight through lenses, convert it into wavelengths, and direct laser beams toward receiving solar panels. The company says concentrated light could deliver up to 10 times the power of diffuse sunlight. More energy could extend operating time or let operators carry smaller batteries and more payloads.
Protostar will test the system. Engineers plan to track the receiving cubesat, measure the power it receives as it moves away, and compare the results with their models. Star Catcher tested satellite tracking in orbit and delivered more than one kilowatt to solar panels during a ground demonstration. That result remains far below the needs of orbital computing facilities.
Commercial interest is forming before the technology proves itself in space. Wired reports that Star Catcher has raised $65 million, received a $30 million U.S. Space Force award, and secured 10 power purchase agreements. Lower launch costs have made orbital power infrastructure more plausible than during decades of research.
Engineering questions remain. Lasers must stay aimed at moving spacecraft, reject waste heat, operate reliably for years, and deliver enough usable power to justify their cost. A previous Naval Research Laboratory experiment operated a space laser within one unit over a short distance, with 11% efficiency. Protostar’s flight will show whether power can move between independent spacecraft, a step toward an orbital energy network.
