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| type | entity_type | name | founded | headquarters | founders | status | domain | secondary_domains | tags | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| entity | company | Aetherflux | ~2023 | United States |
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active | space-development |
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Aetherflux
Type: Space infrastructure company
Focus: Space-based solar power (SBSP) and orbital data centers (ODC) using shared LEO satellite infrastructure
Founded: ~2023
Founders: Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood)
Overview
Aetherflux develops LEO satellite infrastructure for power generation and transmission using infrared laser technology. The company's architecture serves three use cases with the same physical hardware: (1) powering orbital AI compute workloads (ODC), (2) beaming power to Earth (SBSP), and (3) military logistics applications (forward operating location power delivery).
Technology Approach
- Orbit: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with continuous solar exposure, not GEO megastructures
- Transmission: Infrared laser with 10-meter spot size at ground receiver, not microwave
- Architecture: Shared infrastructure serving ODC (near-term) and SBSP (long-term) use cases
- Bus: Apex Space satellite bus platform
Business Model
Sequential monetization of the same satellite infrastructure:
- Near-term (2027): Orbital data center services (Galactic Brain project)
- Mid-term: Defense power transmission to forward operating locations
- Long-term: Space-based solar power to terrestrial grid
Strategic Rationale
CEO Baiju Bhatt stated that circa late 2024, the team realized "powering AI workloads by placing compute in orbit and feeding via space-based solar power is more economically attractive than transmitting energy to terrestrial facilities." This insight led to ODC as the near-term revenue case while maintaining SBSP as the long-term value proposition.
Timeline
- 2023 — Company founded by Baiju Bhatt
- 2025-04 — Series A funding round (~$50M cumulative raised)
- 2025-04 — DoD awards venture funds for LEO power transmission proof-of-concept
- 2025-04 — Falcon 9 Transporter rideshare booked for 2026 demonstration mission
- 2025-12 — Orbital data center project (Galactic Brain) publicly announced
- 2026 — Planned demonstration mission: kilowatt-class spacecraft with infrared laser power transmission from LEO to ground
- 2026-04 — Series B negotiation ($250-350M at $2B valuation, led by Index Ventures)
- 2027-Q1 — Target date for Galactic Brain commercial operation
Funding
- Total raised (as of April 2026): ~$80 million
- Series B (in negotiation): $250-350M at $2B valuation, led by Index Ventures
- DoD venture funding: Awarded for proof-of-concept demonstration (amount undisclosed)
Key Projects
2026 Demonstration Mission
- Launch: SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter rideshare
- Bus: Apex Space satellite platform
- Payload: Kilowatt-class power transmission system
- Objective: Demonstrate wireless power transmission from LEO to ground using infrared laser
- Funding: Series A capital + DoD venture funds
Galactic Brain (Orbital Data Center)
- Target launch: Q1 2027
- Use case: AI compute workloads powered by space-based solar
- Revenue model: Commercial compute services
Related Entities
- apex-space — Satellite bus manufacturer
- spacex — Launch provider (Falcon 9 Transporter rideshare)
Sources
- TechCrunch Series A coverage, April 2025
- Company statements and program documentation, 2025-2026