Star Catcher Secures $12.25M Seed Funding to Revolutionize Space Energy
The Star Catcher Network is poised to be a pioneering energy grid capable of transmitting substantial levels of broad-spectrum energy to spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond. This system will provide energy on demand, at higher concentrations than the Sun, to existing solar arrays of spacecraft, potentially increasing their power generation capacity by five to ten times without requiring modifications.
The demand for high-performance, power-intensive applications in space, such as telecommunications, on-orbit computing, remote sensing, human spaceflight, and national security, is growing rapidly. With projections indicating that LEO could host over 40,000 satellites by 2030, the need for power generation could reach 840 megawatts, compared to the current tens of megawatts. The Star Catcher Network aims to meet this demand by significantly boosting power generation capabilities, allowing satellite operators to enhance their operations and reduce costs.
Star Catcher was co-founded by seasoned space entrepreneurs Andrew Rush and Michael Snyder, along with experienced VC investor Bryan Lyandvert.
Andrew Rush, formerly the CEO and President of Made In Space, led the company through its acquisition by Redwire Corporation in 2020. He subsequently became Redwire's founding President and COO, overseeing numerous development and delivery contracts for commercial, civil, and national security clients. Rush has led several major initiatives, including replacing solar arrays on the International Space Station and developing camera systems for the Artemis I mission.
Michael Snyder, a co-founder and Chief Engineer of Made In Space, and Chief Technology Officer of Redwire, is a renowned space technologist with over a dozen payloads flown to space and more than 50 patents in various space technologies. Snyder received the AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award in 2022 for his significant contributions to the aerospace industry.
Bryan Lyandvert, a prominent space investor, brings extensive experience in early-stage investing and capital formation from his tenure at MetaProp Ventures and T-Bird Capital. He has also managed a substantial wearables and emerging technology P&L at Amazon.
"Power infrastructure is the foundational building block of civilization and industry; our goal is to expand that foundation into LEO and beyond with our in-space power grid and service," said Andrew Rush, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Star Catcher. "Being able to buy power for your spacecraft whenever and wherever you need it in LEO will expand opportunity and accelerate humanity realizing the potential of the second golden age of space."
Star Catcher has made notable technical advancements in developing its constellation and has garnered early interest, securing more than six letters of intent from commercial space companies in the remote sensing, national security, human habitat, and telecommunications sectors.
"Most any maturing sector requires solid, dependable, ubiquitous infrastructure to really take off. We're confident Star Catcher will do for orbital power what SpaceX has done for launch. They're a proven, veteran commercial space team executing on an audacious vision at high speed. What they're building has the potential to transform the economics, capabilities, and even configuration of most everything we put into orbit," says Andrew Sather, Principal at Initialized Capital.
"As a longtime space sector investor, I view the network Star Catcher is developing as one of the most potentially transformational technologies in the dynamic and continuously evolving space technology sector. Satellite launch costs continue to fall, and power needs are accelerating with onboard processing. At the same time, energy demand is vastly outstripping the supply that current solar panels and batteries provide. Star Catcher's founders are drawing from their extensive industry experience to tackle this opportunity with a unique approach. At B Capital, we support pioneering founders and companies shaping our future through technology and are confident Star Catcher has the vision, roadmap, and team to build the core infrastructure that will power and reshape the future space economy," says Howard Morgan, Chair and General Partner of B Capital.
With this seed funding, Star Catcher's immediate focus will be on validating and demonstrating its power beaming services, starting with ground demonstrations, followed by an on-orbit demonstration in late 2025, and the deployment of commercial services. This infrastructure will allow satellite operators to adopt a shared infrastructure model, freeing them from the limitations of onboard power supplies.