New Mexico Startup Unveils Ambitious Plan to Transmit Solar Power to Satellites

New Mexico Startup Unveils Ambitious Plan to Transmit Solar Power to Satellites

New Mexico's Mantis Space has unveiled a groundbreaking plan to transmit solar power to satellites, securing $10 million in funding to develop innovative ene...

Content source: Gizmodo.com
Published on: 15 March 2026

In-depth analysis

New discoveries

We're finally realizing that satellites don't have to be limited by their own shadows. Beaming energy through lasers means power can flow continuously, completely changing how we think about spacecraft design and eliminating those heavy battery constraints we've just accepted for decades.

Mission updates

Mantis Space just secured $10 million to build their prototype, and they're aiming to launch within a couple years. The goal is getting multiple laser beams per satellite up there, testing whether we can actually keep spacecraft powered continuously from above.

Who is affected

Every satellite operator struggling with battery weight and power shortages stands to benefit here. But honestly? This matters for all of us on the ground too—better-powered satellites mean better communications, sharper weather forecasting, and more reliable services we depend on daily.

Next steps

The immediate focus is building that prototype payload and getting it launched. Once they prove the technology works from a single satellite, the real work begins—scaling up to an entire constellation that can beam energy anywhere it's needed in orbit.

Did you know?

Why we should care

This isn't just about satellites—it's about breaking free from limits we thought were unchangeable. When we solve power problems in space, we unlock better internet, more accurate climate monitoring, and technologies that eventually trickle down to improve life here on Earth.

The universe's unsolved mystery

For decades, we've watched satellites go dark every 45 minutes, dying in Earth's shadow like clockwork. We accepted this as inevitable. The real mystery is why it took us this long to ask: what if they never had to switch off at all?

The person who looks at the stars

Eric Truitt probably isn't just chasing profits—he's someone who looked up and saw a problem hiding in plain sight. Every satellite silently struggling through darkness, every engineer accepting battery weight as necessary. Sometimes the people who change things are simply the ones who refuse to accept what everyone else calls normal.

Expert Commentary

This is genuinely exciting to watch unfold. For years, we've accepted that satellites simply die when they're in the dark, and we've loaded them with heavy batteries to cope. Mantis Space is basically asking: why? If we can beam energy wirelessly, we're not just extending satellite lifespans—we're fundamentally rethinking how spacecraft are designed. Dropping battery weight means launching more instruments or reducing costs. It feels like we're watching the early days of something that could become as essential as GPS.

Interesting news