Overview Energy awarded Department of War OECIF contract to develop homing beacon for space solar energy

The Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF), a program of the Department of War focused on advancing operational energy technologies, has awarded Overview Energy a contract to design, build, and test a homing beacon for its space solar energy system.

Overview Energy develops satellites that capture solar energy in orbit and deliver it to ground infrastructure by converting sunlight into a safe, invisible beam of near-infrared light. Ground crews will install the beacon at solar receiver sites, enabling Overview satellites to locate, lock on, and beam power with high precision. This system requires an active, authenticated beacon before a satellite can transmit energy, which helps prevent signal spoofing and hijacking.

As part of the OECIF program, Overview engages directly with warfighters at operational sites to gather requirements and test hardware. The company visits military bases early in the design cycle to collect operational needs and then returns with operational beacon hardware for field testing and user feedback.

Christopher DePuma, Combat Power Portfolio Lead at OECIF, stated, "Delivering reliable power to remote and contested locations remains one of the military's most persistent operational challenges." Overview's space solar energy system provides consistent, redirectable power without relying on fuel shipments, thus enhancing military energy resilience.

The hardware developed under this contract will integrate into Overview's first satellite for its planned 2028 space solar energy demonstration. This award will also establish baseline ground hardware for the GEO satellite constellation, which is set for deployment beginning in 2030. Overview's previous airborne flight tests successfully validated the tracking and pointing systems intended for the orbital platform.