$100 Million and a Daring Idea: Caltech’s Space Solar Project Film Premieres on Campus Tonight

Former California Gov. Gray Davis and other dignitaries are expected to attend the public screening of Bright Harvest: Powering Earth From Space at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave.

The documentary chronicles a decade-long collaboration between Caltech professors Harry Atwater, Ali Hajimiri and Sergio Pellegrino, whose work led to the 2023 launch of the Space Solar Power Demonstrator (SSPD-1). The mission marked the first successful wireless transmission of power from space to Earth, a milestone Caltech officials have called a “historic breakthrough” in renewable energy.

Produced by Caltech trustee and philanthropist Brigitte Bren and directed by Steven Reich, the film explores both the scientific achievement and the human story behind it. Bren, who is married to Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren, has championed the project since its inception. Donald Bren contributed more than $100 million to the Space Solar Power Initiative, making it the largest industry-sponsored research effort in Caltech’s history. Northrop Grumman also supported early feasibility studies.

Following the screening, a panel discussion will feature the three lead researchers. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

Launched Jan. 3, 2023, aboard a Momentus Vigoride spacecraft, SSPD-1 tested three key technologies: DOLCE (deployable composite structure), ALBA (photovoltaic cell assessment), and MAPLE (microwave array power transfer). The mission concluded in January 2024 after a 10-month in-orbit demonstration.

Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum called the project “an innovative approach to 24/7 renewable energy that can be delivered on demand anywhere on Earth,” while noting that commercial-scale deployment remains a future goal.

Ali Hajimiri, professor of electrical engineering, said the concept “was, in the past, truly science fiction,” and credited the convergence of breakthroughs in photovoltaics, structural engineering, and wireless transmission for making it real.

Brigitte Bren described the film as “an invitation to everyone to join in shaping a future powered by the sun — anytime, anywhere.”

The event is part of Caltech’s “Movies That Matter” series and is open to the public.