Katalyst wins Pentagon award to demo in-orbit power beaming
Katalyst Space Technologies
Katalyst will use its Nexus spacecraft to assemble NRL solar-power tiles in orbit and beam the energy to Earth as microwaves.
what happened
The Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF), a Department of War program, selected Katalyst Space Technologies for its Advanced Scalable Growth Architecture for Robotic Deployment (ASGARD) program, per Via Satellite and Katalyst's own announcement. Katalyst's NEXUS robotic spacecraft will launch to low Earth orbit and use robotic arms to assemble modular solar power-beaming tiles developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory, which is building the DC-to-microwave conversion technology; the assembled system will convert collected solar energy to microwave radio-frequency energy and transmit it back to Earth. OECIF's RuthAnne Darling, director of operational energy innovation, called the demonstration "foundational," and Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee said the multi-mission NEXUS spacecraft "is a key enabler that makes capabilities like power beaming possible."
why it matters
The award gives Katalyst a second government-funded demonstration line beyond its DIU deorbit-as-a-service contract and its high-profile, ultimately unsuccessful Swift reboost attempt, betting its NEXUS robotic-assembly platform can also host large in-space infrastructure rather than just servicing existing satellites. A successful demo would be an early proof point for beaming power to forward military locations without ground infrastructure, a capability that in-space servicing and manufacturing rivals chasing similar Pentagon demonstration contracts will be watching.
for who
Defense energy planners, in-space servicing operators
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- Katalyst Space Technologies
- Category
- contract
- Impact
- notable
- SNR
- 4 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-09-21
- Published
- 2026-09-21 22:31 UTC