Imagine a world where clean, uninterrupted energy streams down from space, 24 hours a day, no matter the weather. That vision is inching closer to reality thanks to Aetherflux, a startup founded by Baiju Bhatt, the entrepreneur best known for co-founding Robinhood. After shaking up the financial industry, Bhatt is now turning his focus to the final frontier.
From Fintech to Space Tech: Bhatt’s Next Chapter
Bhatt, stepping back from the daily responsibilities at Robinhood, is channeling his energy now toward solving one of the greatest challenges of the world: access to clean, reliable energy. With Aetherflux, he’s leading the charge on a bold mission to harness solar energy in space and beam it back down to Earth. As Bhatt describes it, the near-term goal for the company is to prove that space-to-Earth transmission of power is not only possible but desirable for practical applications.
The Big Idea Behind Space-Based Solar Power
The concept of gathering solar energy in orbit and sending it down to Earth isn’t new. It’s been around for decades and even featured in science fiction stories. The appeal is obvious—while solar panels on Earth are limited by day-night cycles and weather conditions, satellites in orbit can collect solar energy around the clock, unaffected by clouds or darkness.
Past solutions to this concept depended on behemoth satellites flying in high orbits, sending energy in microwave beams to giant ground stations. These systems were the issue: they were pricey, complicated, and difficult to expand. As Bhatt phrases it, they were “all or nothing”—giant gambles with no significant space to try things out or iterate mid-stream.
Why Now? The Technologies Are Finally Catching Up
So what’s new today? There are a number of important breakthroughs that have made space-based solar power much more feasible. It’s become much cheaper to send payloads into space, due to reusable rockets. Lasers and optical technology have improved significantly in power and price performance. And it’s become much easier to manage constellations of satellites, enabling more scalable and flexible solutions.
Bhatt feels these advancements have converged to bring the previously distant dream of space solar power within reach shortly.
Aetherflux’s Unique Approach: Small Satellites, Big Impact
Instead of having a single massive satellite, Aetherflux is going modular. The firm is creating an array of low-cost, small satellites that will reside in low Earth orbit (LEO). The satellites will be powered with solar panels and an infrared laser that can beam energy to miniature ground receivers—no expensive installations required.
This approach enables Aetherflux to act fast and evolve alongside the advancing technology. It also scales the system and makes it more resilient. The aim, says the company’s engineering head, is to have a flexible power grid based on lasers in space, which can supply energy wherever it’s required.
Aetherflux’s initial demo satellite is already under construction. It will use predominantly off-the-shelf parts and will look to beam power to a receiver that is about 10 meters in diameter, offering a significant but not overwhelming test of the system’s capability.
Engineering the Impossible: Conquering the Challenges
Of course, nothing is easy about any of this. Satellites have to endure huge swings in temperature, from the scorching heat of direct sun exposure to the extreme cold of space. Housing components within protective thermal ranges is one of the primary engineering hurdles, demanding a precise balance of heat management systems.
Another challenge is maintaining uninterrupted coverage. Since satellites in LEO are always on the move across the sky, Aetherflux would require an expertly coordinated network to transfer the energy beam as satellites fly over the target region. In certain instances, onboard energy storage would be needed to sustain power through periods of gaps in coverage or overnight.
Early Use Cases: Military and Emergency Applications
Aetherflux’s initial customers will be undersea and territorial military and emergency response units. It can be expensive and risky to deliver fuel and electricity undersea to far-flung or contested regions. Space-based solar power provides a safer, more trustworthy option. It might provide power to forward operating bases, disaster relief areas, and remote communities with limited or no infrastructure.
Bhatt has also pointed out the national security aspects, stating that being able to supply energy anywhere, be it time or terrain, could greatly enhance operational readiness at a lower cost and risk.
Government Interest and Strong Backing
The vision is ambitious, and so is the backing for it. Aetherflux has recently raised $50 million in Series A funding, supported by top-tier venture capital players. Bhatt himself has invested more than $10 million in the venture, personally. The venture has also attracted backing from the U.S. Department of Defense, keen to explore the strategic value of space-based solar power.
The Global Race for Orbital Energy Leadership
The drive for space-based solar power is not American alone. China is making significant investments in the same technology, with ambitions to launch a kilometer-scale solar station into orbit in the next decade. Global competition highlights the stakes: whoever is out front in this area may achieve a significant advantage in energy independence and a potentially trillion-dollar market.
As a former NASA official described it, space solar power has the potential to charter the next generation of space operations—and transform the global energy picture in the bargain.
Looking Ahead: Clean Energy for Everyone, Everywhere
Aetherflux is not simply launching satellites. It’s launching the future of energy. Aetherflux’s ultimate vision is to provide clean, cheap electricity to anyone, anywhere—whether it’s a village in the middle of nowhere, a city in the middle of a blackout, or a country moving to renewables.
Bhatt views space-based solar as an agent of transformation, one that can stabilize grids, decrease reliance on fossil fuels, and offer a robust solution in times of natural disaster or geopolitical instability.
If the technology performs as hoped, Aetherflux may be the leader of a new space-driven energy revolution—one that illuminates the world, day and night.
