That $50 million investment—led by Index Ventures and Interlagos—will be instrumental in Aetherflux’s mission to launch its first low Earth orbit demonstration in 2026. That mission is to develop a satellite network capable of collecting and transmitting solar energy from space directly to Earth. And that’s a vision that’s been a staple of science fiction for decades.
A Vision Inspired by Science Fiction
Space-based solar power has been a fascination of Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of Robinhood and Aetherflux. He’s now working to turn that vision into reality. (You might remember it from Isaac Asimov’s 1941 short story Reason.) It is the goal of Bhatt’s team to prove that power can be efficiently transmitted from space to Earth.
Series A Funding and Strategic Investors
Aetherflux has now raised a total of $60 million in funding. That latest round saw participation from Breakthrough Energy Ventures (backed by Bill Gates), Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and notable figures like Jared Leto. Bhatt himself invested $10 million into the company.
Developing the Space Solar Technology
The real challenge is making that space-based solar energy transmission work. Aetherflux is developing its core payload technology, which converts energy from a satellite’s solar panels into laser power for transmission to Earth. That’s where Apex Space’s Aries satellite bus comes in. It will be the foundation for that system.
The power collected from the satellite is sent to a special ground station equipped with photovoltaic arrays. This station converts the laser energy into electricity and stores it in batteries for future use. The startup is evaluating potential military sites for its first ground station. Those locations offer controlled airspace ideal for testing and operations.
Future Potential and Commercial Applications
Aetherflux envisions a future where portable ground stations—ranging from 5 to 10 meters in diameter—can provide electricity to remote locations, disaster-stricken areas, and military bases. The 2026 demonstration will focus on establishing a reliable power link from space to Earth—a crucial milestone in commercializing space-based solar energy.
Paving the Way for Space-Based Renewable Energy
That concept of space solar power has been tested before (Caltech’s 2023 Space Solar Power Project is a good example). But Aetherflux aims to build a scalable commercial system. This funding—and the Department of Defense’s recent grant for space solar power development—underline just how much interest there is in this technology.
Aetherflux has a team of experts from NASA, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Anduril and the U.S. Navy. If successful, the company’s innovative approach could revolutionize how we harness solar power and provide clean energy on a global scale.
