Discovery.

“The hard work and dedication of the brilliant scientists at Caltech have advanced our
dream of providing the world with abundant, reliable, and affordable power for the

benefit of all humankind.”

Donald Bren

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Philanthropist Donald Bren, chairman of Irvine Company first learned about
space-based solar energy as a young boy after reading an article in Popular Science
magazine. Inspired and intrigued by the concept, the dream of powering Earth from
space never left his mind, and in 2011 he approached Caltech with the idea of funding a
bold research project with the hope of turning his childhood dream into a reality.

Thus began the Space-based Solar Power Project spanning over a decade,
spearheaded by Harry Atwater, Ali Hajimiri and Sergio Pellegrino resulting in a

revolutionary approach to powering Earth from space.
And in 2023, the Space Solar Power Demonstrator was launched into orbit
to test and showcase three key technological advancements critical to making space-

based solar power possible.

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The demonstration platform successfully transmitted power wirelessly in space,
evaluated the performance, efficiency, and durability of a variety of solar cells

in the harsh conditions of outer space, and tested a lightweight, deployable structure

designed to support both the solar cells and power transmitters.

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But it was a secret fourth experiment that made the news. On a cool clear evening in
May 2023, Ali Hajimiri and his team of students gathered on the roof of Moore
Laboratory and waited patiently for a signal from space. Despite lasting only a few
seconds - the microwave signal marked a major milestone towards realizing the dream
to harvest solar energy in space and beam it wirelessly down to earth.

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Anytime Anywhere.