Cowboy Space launches Reason-1 orbital solar power-beaming test

(SpaceEnergy) Cowboy Space has launched Reason-1, its first satellite, to test transmitting solar-derived electrical energy from low Earth orbit to a terrestrial receiver using a kilowatt-class laser.

Reason-1 launched on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

The spacecraft will collect solar energy in orbit and use Cowboy Space-designed laser systems, a large-aperture optical telescope and beam-steering architecture to attempt space-to-Earth power transmission.

The mission will also test optical and thermal technologies intended for the company’s planned orbital computing infrastructure. Cowboy Space said data from Reason-1 will inform its optical communications architecture and work on thermal and electrical systems needed to operate server-grade graphics processing units in space.

Development of the mission’s laser and optical payloads received multi-year support from the US Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund.

Cowboy Space plans a Reason-2 mission in 2027 using related optical hardware to demonstrate high-rate space-to-Earth data transmission.

The company is separately developing a launch vehicle whose upper stage is intended to remain in orbit as a 1MW data centre. It is also working with Nvidia on deploying Space-1 Vera Rubin computing modules in low Earth orbit.

Cowboy Space said it would issue further updates as Reason-1 reaches mission milestones. Successful launch does not itself demonstrate power transfer; the planned laser transmission remains to be completed.