Why Robinhood’s Co-Founder is Betting on Solar Power from Space

Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading app Robinhood, is venturing into an entirely new frontier: space-based solar power. With the launch of his new company, Aetherflux, Bhatt is seeking to disrupt not just the financial sector but global energy generation as well. His goal? To harvest solar energy directly from space and beam it back to Earth — a vision that, though ambitious, is gaining traction as energy security and climate change remain critical global issues.

The Vision Behind Aetherflux

Beyond Earthbound Energy

The Earth receives only a fraction of the sun’s energy due to atmospheric absorption and limitations posed by weather conditions and night cycles. Solar power satellites, however, can collect solar energy uninterrupted, 24/7, in high-efficiency solar arrays located in geosynchronous orbit. The energy is then transmitted wirelessly to ground-based receiving stations using microwave or laser-based technology.

Baiju Bhatt’s Aetherflux is stepping into this futuristic yet theoretically plausible space with the goal of commercializing space-based solar power (SBSP). Drawing from his experience with tech disruption at Robinhood, Bhatt aims to apply rapid-iteration startup thinking to the aerospace and clean energy sectors.

Why Solar from Space?

SBSP offers some compelling advantages:

– **Consistent Energy Supply**: No downtime due to weather or daylight dependence.
– **Global Reach**: Potential to deliver power to remote or underserved regions.
– **Environmental Benefits**: Eliminates greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil fuels.

Bhatt sees SBSP not only as a game-changer for clean energy but also as a strategic asset for national and global energy security in a changing geopolitical landscape.

Technology and Infrastructure Challenges

While the concept of space-based solar power has existed for decades, major technical, regulatory, and economic hurdles have restrained its development. Aetherflux will need to overcome several barriers:

Launch and Deployment Costs

Putting massive solar arrays into space remains prohibitively expensive. Recent reductions in launch costs, thanks to providers like SpaceX and Blue Origin, are making SBSP more financially feasible, but the upfront capital investment is still substantial.

Efficient Energy Transmission

Transmitting energy from space to Earth is no small feat. Microwave transmission, one of the most studied methods, must ensure high efficiency and safety for people and the environment. Regulatory bodies, including the FCC and international space law organizations, will play critical roles in approval and spectrum allocation.

Space Debris and Longevity

Any satellite-based infrastructure must consider the challenge of space debris and orbital management. Moreover, the operational lifespan and long-term maintenance of orbiting power stations must be planned into the system design.

Strategic Alignment with Government and Commercial Stakeholders

Partnerships with NASA and the Department of Defense

The U.S. federal government has shown an increased interest in space-based power. The Department of Defense (DoD), in particular, has explored SBSP as a reliable power alternative for remote or deployed operations, where conventional fuel logistics are both costly and risky. Aetherflux could find significant synergy through collaboration with government agencies, securing development grants, procurement contracts, and regulatory guidance.

Maryland as a Strategic Hub for Space and Energy Innovation

For companies like Aetherflux, Maryland presents an attractive location due to its dense cluster of federal agencies — including NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the Department of Energy — as well as advanced research universities. The state’s emerging clean energy incentives, STEM-focused policies, and access to skilled labor open additional opportunities for tech startups venturing into energy innovation.

Future Outlook and Market Implications

Bhatt’s entry into space-based solar aligns with a broader trend of tech entrepreneurs venturing into future-oriented infrastructure projects, particularly those tied to sustainability. As governments and corporations around the world pursue aggressive decarbonization goals, SBSP may evolve from sci-fi to reality.

As with Robinhood’s disruption of traditional finance models, Bhatt is now seeking to challenge conventional energy paradigms. With advancements in space tech, declining launch costs, and increasing demand for zero-carbon electricity, space-based solar power is becoming an increasingly plausible — if still ambitious — avenue for truly global power generation.

Conclusion

Baiju Bhatt’s shift from democratizing finance to pioneering outer-space energy reflects both high ambition and strategic foresight. Through Aetherflux, he is tackling one of humanity’s most critical challenges: sustainable energy. While technical and regulatory challenges abound, the convergence of public and private interest in space-based energy could propel this venture into the next era of innovation. Stakeholders in both the federal and Maryland government contracting spaces should keep a close eye on how ventures like Aetherflux