About the project
Project Elara (meaning1 "hope") is a grassroots organization dedicated to space-based energy technologies. We are scientists and engineers dedicated to open-sourcing science, and we believe that space-based energy technologies, done right, can usher in a peaceful, hopeful future. Our mission is to build a better world, together.
Our vision
On Earth, we are depleting the Earth's natural resources every moment to power our civilization, resources that will be exhausted one day. Space-based solar power systems that harvest solar energy and bring it back to Earth have the potential to transform the world by providing a source of near-unlimited energy to power the world for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years.
Project Elara works on developing a 100% open-source space-based solar power system that can capture and transmit energy from the Sun in space. We work on our technology to benefit the world: improving access to power and internet to remote and underdeveloped regions, reducing dependence on unsustainable energy sources, and providing off-grid power to emergency, humanitarian, and rescue operations.
Our commitment
We are a not-for-profit organization, and we are committed to making affordable technologies that are publicly-accessible (including all source code + hardware), auditable, and dedicated to our future generations. We release the majority of our work to the public domain to make sure it can never be copyrighted or patented, and will always belong solely to the public at large.
Rather than competing with other technologies, we want to be part of a sustainable energy grid. We believe that space-based solar power, in association a diversity of renewable power sources like hydropower, nuclear fission/fusion, closed-cycle bioenergy (among others) creates a resilient energy future, by preventing over-reliance on any one energy source.
We will never seek to profiteer off our technology in any way, and we are dedicated to ensuring that, as far as possible, our technology serves the poorest and most disadvantaged members of society first. We take our Charter very, very seriously and aspire for our work to benefit everyone, rather than just a few people.
We are taking slow, incremental steps towards building a functioning space power system. We know it will be a long and difficult journey, but we are passionate about this technology and want to be part of making it possible. We hope to be good stewards of our work, so that if it becomes realized, it would be a gift to our future generations, and a continuing symbol of hope.
"Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors." - Jonas Salk
1. This is a constructed word, more on this in the Project's about page. Back ↩