Aetherflux, a cutting-edge space solar startup founded by Baiju Bhatt, the billionaire co-founder of Robinhood, has successfully raised $50 million in a Series A funding round. This capital injection supports the company’s ambitious goal of launching its first low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite demo in 2026.
Based in San Carlos, California, Aetherflux emerged from stealth mode in October 2024 with a bold vision: to build a constellation of LEO satellites capable of collecting solar energy in space and transmitting it back to Earth. The concept is inspired by Isaac Asimov’s 1941 science fiction short story “Reason,” and Bhatt is committed to turning this visionary idea into reality.
Proving the Concept with the First Mission
Before launching its satellite constellation, Aetherflux needs to demonstrate that its technology works. Bhatt emphasized the significance of the upcoming mission: “We’re aiming to show that humanity can receive power directly from space for the first time,” he told TechCrunch. The demonstration will mark a crucial milestone in this transformative journey.
The $50 million raised in this Series A round brings Aetherflux’s total funding to $60 million, including a $10 million personal investment by Bhatt. The round was led by prominent investors such as Index Ventures and Interlagos, with participation from Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and celebrity investors like Jared Leto.
Building the Future of Space-Powered Energy
Aetherflux plans to use this funding to recruit additional engineers and bolster the infrastructure required to support its missions. Bhatt explained that their primary focus is developing the satellite payload, which will harness the energy generated by the satellite bus and convert it into laser power for transmission back to Earth.
The company has partnered with Apex Space to use their Aries satellite bus, which provides essential systems for satellite operation, including power, propulsion, and communications. These satellite buses typically generate power through solar panels, with Aetherflux aiming to transmit up to a kilowatt of energy via lasers to Earth.
On the ground, Aetherflux will deploy photovoltaic arrays to capture the laser energy and convert it into usable power, which will then be stored in batteries. The startup’s team, consisting of engineers and researchers with experience at NASA, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Anduril, and the U.S. Navy, is also working to establish the first ground station. Though the location is still to be finalized, military sites with controlled airspace are being considered for the station.
A Vision for Portable Solar Power
Looking ahead, Aetherflux aims to create small, portable ground stations, ranging from 5 to 10 meters in diameter, to deliver electricity to even the most remote regions. Bhatt envisions these stations providing power for a variety of uses, including lighting installations and electronic applications.
“The main objective of the first mission is to demonstrate the end-to-end process of power transmission,” Bhatt said. “We want to show that we can send electricity from space and use it effectively on the ground.”
Space Solar Power: A New Frontier
While space-based solar power is still in its infancy, a few successful missions have occurred, such as the 2023 demonstration by Caltech’s Space Solar Power Project, which used microwave beaming for wireless power transfer from LEO. However, Aetherflux’s approach aims to create a scalable, commercial system that can deliver reliable power to Earth.
The company’s recent funding round follows a significant award from the Department of Defense’s Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund, which aims to advance space solar power technology for U.S. military applications.
