$META announced a first-of-its kind partnership with Overview Energy to bring space solar energy to its data centers.
The goal: To solve the massive, 24/7 power requirements of their AI infrastructure. The system will collect solar energy in orbit and beam it down to existing ground facilities, maximizing utilization and avoiding the intermittency of ground-based solar.
Timeline: Meta secured early access to up to 1GW of capacity, with an initial orbital demonstration planned for 2028 and commercial power delivery expected by 2030.
To beam energy down to Earth as near-infrared light from geosynchronous orbit (roughly 22,000 miles up), they are essentially relying on incredibly high-power, free-space laser transmission. That requires space-hardened fiber lasers, optical amplifiers, and incredibly precise beam-directing optics.
So, who will supply those lasers?
Overview Energy has not publicly named their specific hardware suppliers. But the CEO recently confirmed their strategy, stating they will manufacture their satellites in the U.S. by partnering with leading American suppliers.
Some suppliers I'm currently thinking off:
1. $CACI: CACI is a massive US defense and technology contractor that acquired SA Photonics. They are a premier manufacturer of free-space optical payloads, high-power lasers, and the precision pointing systems required to hit a specific target on Earth from deep space.
2. $BAESY: A massive U.S. defense contractor with deep, flight-proven expertise in space optics, laser communications, and precision pointing. They have the manufacturing scale and the facilities to handle a constellation of this size.
3. $RKLB (Mynaric): Yes, Mynaric has German origins, but they have built a massive manufacturing footprint in the United States specifically to comply with U.S. government and military requirements. They are currently a major supplier for the U.S. Space Development Agency's (SDA) optical networks, making them a highly industrialized domestic option.
One to keep an eye on.
