Virtus Solis

Technology

Virtus Solis plans to build its orbital array from individual satellites that are autonomously assembled in space, enabling a modular and iterative approach to construction. Each satellite, approximately 1.65 meters in diameter and capable of delivering around 500 watts of power, is deployed from the launch vehicle and linked with 200,000 to 20,000,000 others to form an integrated array between 0.5 and 3 kilometers across. The arrays will be capable of transmitting up to 20 gigawatts of power to the surface each, across multiple ground stations. 

Each satellite combines solar cells with a radio-frequency transmitter that emits a collimated 10 GHz beam toward a rectenna on the ground. The constellation operates in a 12-hour, highly elliptical Molniya orbit, spending about 11.5 hours of each orbit at an altitude near 35,000 kilometers over the northern or southern hemisphere. This orbit provides excellent coverage for high-latitude regions and enables continuous energy delivery to either hemisphere.

Virtus Solis’s phased-array transmitter architecture allows nearly 98% of emitted photons to land on the targeted ground receiver. The system’s wavelength, of 3 centimeters, allows optimized for high transmission efficiency through atmosphere and weather. The company’s proof of concept demonstration in 2023 end-to-end DC-DC wireless power transfer efficiency was 4% using off the shelf components, but internal testing shows that 70% DC-DC efficiency is achievable and will be demonstrated in cooperation with the DOE.

Most of the system’s components are off-the-shelf electronics, significantly reducing development time and cost. A dedicated high-efficiency RF amplifier designed for a single tone is being developed that, once produced, can be replicated inexpensively at scale. The company has also developed an 95%efficient receiver rectifier capable of converting RF energy directly into DC current, forming the final link in the transmission chain.

Timeline

Virtus Solis completed a 100-meter end-to-end demonstration of its power beaming technology in 2023 —more than 2.5 times the equivalent distance required for an actual orbital-to-ground transfer test. The demonstration validated the company’s proprietary wireless power transfer code, which simulates and optimizes large-scale SBSP systems under realistic atmospheric and orbital conditions.

In September 2024, Virtus Solis advanced to the next round of selection for the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) funding and submitted two NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Step B proposals. 

In 2026, they will have a demonstration of high-efficiency wireless power transfer with the DOE, and plan to launch a pilot plant in orbit by 2027-2028. They are on track to have their first operating power delivery system by 2030. 

Applications

Virtus Solis’s SBSP system is designed to serve the entire planet, with the ability to deliver power from the equator to the poles. The company’s first customers are merchant power providers that sell electricity into national grids through power purchase agreements or auction-based pricing. Virtus Solis prefers to not sell energy directly, but rather the hardware to allow operators to own and operate their own power plants. Initial deployments are expected to be 100MW power purchase agreements to minimize financial risk to the end customer.

This business model requires far less upfront capital than traditional energy infrastructure: estimated at only about 20% of the capital expenditure of a nuclear plant with a similar power output. The ground rectenna, 2 kilometers in diameter, requires far less land than ground solar and can be sited with relative ease, allowing for faster permitting and deployment.

Costs and Funding

Virtus Solis has secured approximately $2 million in ARPA-E funding and continues to receive DOE and private-sector support. The company’s focus on modularity, off-the-shelf components, and mass-manufacturable electronics reduces both cost and technical risk. By developing each subsystem to be reproducible at scale, Virtus Solis aims to make SBSP commercially competitive with terrestrial renewables. With launch prices steadily falling, the company estimates that, within a few years of system implementation, they will be able to provide power at $30 per MWh, competitive with ground-based energy sources when compared to firmed ground solar’s $150 per MWh. These early deployments post 20 year amortization can deliver energy at just $0.50/MWh for the remainder of their 40-80 year life.

Policy

Virtus Solis works closely with the DOE and ARPA-E to advance wireless power transmission standards and ensure that SBSP technology aligns with U.S. energy security and grid resilience goals. The company’s participation in public research programs has strengthened the regulatory foundation for future commercial deployments. Virtus Solis is also contributing to discussions on orbital spectrum allocation, safety protocols for RF energy transmission, and the environmental assessment of power beaming systems.