Space-Based Solar Power: Building The Future Of Energy With Aetherflux
Baiju Bhatt
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Aetherflux’s Founder and CEO Baiju Bhatt is interviewed by Ernestine Fu Mak. Bhatt co-founded the fintech company Robinhood. Now, Bhatt is on to his second act: Aetherflux. Aetherflux is unlocking space solar power and delivering energy via lasers to remote, contested places where traditional power delivery is difficult, expensive, or dangerous.
Joe Felter also provides special remarks.
Key Takeaways
Making Science Fiction Reality
Aetherflux aims to realize what has remained science fiction since the 1970s by using small satellite constellations with infrared lasers instead of massive geostationary structures—making space-based solar power achievable through incremental deployment rather than city-sized construction in orbit.
Revolutionizing Battlefield Energy Logistics
The DoD has approved funding for Aetherflux to address battlefield energy logistics by replacing dangerous diesel fuel supply chains with compact, space-powered receivers—fundamentally altering conflict dynamics by making traditional supply-chain attacks less effective.
Resilience Through Decentralization
Like Starlink’s approach to communications, Aetherflux’s constellation architecture provides resilience through decentralization: individual satellite losses don’t disrupt service, as other satellites continuously hand off power delivery to ground stations.
Dream Bigger, Work Harder
Bhatt's key lesson from Robinhood is that building companies is inherently difficult regardless of scope, so entrepreneurs should tackle the biggest possible problems since the effort required is similarly intense whether the impact is small or transformative.
Hardware in Orbit Proves the Vision
Aetherflux plans to launch its first power-beaming satellite in 2026, working with partners such as Apex for satellite buses. The company emphasizes that until you put hardware in space, you’re just an “aspiring space company,” not one that has proven technical feasibility through actual deployment.