Pentagon Backs Overview Energy to Beam Orbital Solar Power to Earth by 2030

The United States Department of Defense has signed a contract with Overview Energy to design, build, and test a homing beacon that will direct space-based solar energy to terrestrial receiving arrays. Overview's proposed architecture involves orbiting solar panels that collect sunlight 24 hours a day and beam the power back to Earth using lasers or microwave technology. The unproven technology bypasses the severe land requirements of terrestrial solar farms, which McKinsey & Company notes require at least ten times more space per unit of power than fossil fuel plants. Meta previously signed a contract with Overview Energy to secure up to 1 gigawatt of space-based solar power, equivalent to the output of a standard nuclear reactor. The initial orbital demonstration is scheduled for 2028, with the geosynchronous Earth orbit constellation deployment slated to begin in 2030. "The connection between space and the ground is the most critical element of space solar energy, especially for warfighters who depend on power at precise locations." — Darko Filipi