Overview Energy, a Virginia startup, won a Pentagon contract to build a ground-based homing beacon for its planned space solar power system. The beacon lets satellites verify receiving sites before beaming near-infrared light to Earth. Overview targets a 2028 space demonstration and a geosynchronous constellation from 2030, though those are company goals, not confirmed launches. The contract comes as Earth-based solar hits record growth. The IEA says over 600 GW of solar was added in 2025, with renewables adding 800 GW total. Space solar is still at the demonstration stage, but the military sees it as a way to power remote bases without fuel convoys. The 2028 test will show whether the technology can safely and efficiently send usable power from orbit.
