Overview Energy Wins Air Force Contract

Overview Energy has won its first Air Force contract, which will allow the startup to study using the sun to power remote military installations.

The details: Overview Energy, which emerged from stealth in December, is aiming to collect solar power in GEO and deliver it to solar panels on Earth. The system will allow solar panels to continue to produce power at night, without any need for retrofitting existing ground-based infrastructure. 

Military applications: Power is required for military operations. As a result, fuel lines can be a strategic vulnerability—and fuel deliveries can become a target for enemies. Overview claims it can avoid those potential threats by ensuring military bases have continuous power with solar power harnessed in space, day or night. 

The contract, for an undisclosed amount, will study how solar power from space can be used in two types of environments:

• Remote bases, such as Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, AK, where fuel delivery is expensive, difficult, and time consuming;
• Strategically important bases, such as Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, where cutting off power could provide an advantage to adversaries.

“We admire the Air Force’s leadership in exploring new approaches to energy resilience,” Overview CEO Marc Berte said in a statement. “In many of these environments, energy is defined by how fuel can be delivered. Transforming that expands what the warfighter can do, and how long they can operate.”

Anotha’ one: The announcement comes hot on the heels of Overview’s agreement with Meta to provide up to 1 GW of power—derived from solar power-beaming sats—for the tech company to power its terrestrial data centers. 

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Astranis has raised a $300M Series E to continue development of its GEO spacecraft, the company announced today.

Snowpoint Ventures and Franklin Templeton co-led the round, which valued the company at $2.8B, according to a source close to the deal. The round also included participation from Andreessen Horowitz, as well as through funds managed by Blackrock, Baillie Gifford, and Fidelity Management and Research Company. 

But wait, there’s more: In addition, Astranis also secured a $155M delayed-draw credit facility from Trinity Capital. The new capital brings the company’ s total raised to $1.2B+. Its last fundraise was a $200M Series D in July 2024.

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