Space Solar Power to Be Tested on 2027 SpaceX Mission

Imagine powering cities with sunlight captured in space, where the sun never sets and clouds don't exist. That future just got closer as TerraSpark prepares to test wireless solar power transmission aboard a SpaceX mission in February 2027.

The Luxembourg company raised €5.4 million from investors to develop technology that beams energy from space using radio waves. Founded in 2025, TerraSpark recruited Sanjay Vijendran as chief technology officer, the former lead of the European Space Agency's space solar program who also worked on Mars missions.

The technology itself isn't science fiction. Radio frequency energy transmission has been proven for decades, but nobody has scaled it for real-world use. TerraSpark is taking a practical approach, starting with wireless power demos on Earth before moving to orbit.

Their first space test will be simple but powerful. A shoebox-sized transmitter will beam energy to a laptop-sized receiver across a spacecraft during the ARAQYS-D3 mission. If it works, LED lights will flash on camera, proving clean energy can travel wirelessly through space.

CEO Jasper Deprez, a veteran entrepreneur, sees this as infrastructure for energy resilience, not distant fantasy. Chief operations officer Matthias Laug, who helped scale mobility company Tier, brings experience turning bold ideas into working systems.

TerraSpark joins four other companies on the mission led by German space firm Dcubed. The partners are developing "Power as a Service," letting satellites access external power to last longer and do more.

The Ripple Effect

If space solar power works, the impact reaches far beyond satellites. Space-based arrays could provide constant clean energy to Earth, unaffected by weather or nighttime. Remote areas and disaster zones could receive power without infrastructure.

The technology could also power the growing satellite economy, extending mission lifetimes and enabling capabilities impossible with today's limited onboard power. Europe sees this as critical for energy independence and climate goals.

TerraSpark is using its funding to prepare ground demonstrations, including wirelessly powering a live event. The team aims for their first space-to-Earth power transmission in 2028, just one year after the orbital test.

The path from orbit to Earth may be challenging, but TerraSpark's step-by-step approach and experienced team suggest space solar power is shifting from "someday" to "soon."