Overview Energy plans to collect sunlight in orbit and send it to Earth, giving Meta early access to a new source of round-the-clock power
Updated
April 29, 2026 3:20 PM
A corona mass ejection erupts from our sun. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Overview Energy, a startup focused on space-based power systems, has announced a new agreement with Meta to develop a new source of electricity for data centers. The partnership centres on space solar energy, with an orbital demonstration planned for 2028 and commercial power delivery targeted for 2030.
The deal gives Meta early access to as much as 1 gigawatt of future capacity from Overview’s system. That matters because large technology companies are searching for reliable power sources as demand rises from AI computing and data center expansion.
Overview’s idea is straightforward, though the engineering is ambitious. The company plans to place satellites in orbit that collect sunlight continuously in space. That energy would then be sent to existing solar sites on Earth, where it would be converted into electricity.
Unlike ground-based solar farms, which only generate power when the sun is shining locally, a space-based system is designed to extend power generation beyond daylight hours. In theory, this could help solar facilities produce electricity around the clock without using extra land.
"Space solar technology represents a transformative step forward by leveraging existing terrestrial infrastructure to deliver new, uninterrupted energy from orbit. We're excited to partner with Overview Energy to pioneer innovative energy solutions to advance our AI ambitions and infrastructure", said Nat Sahlstrom, VP of Energy and Sustainability, Meta. "This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to innovation – leveraging cutting-edge technology to strengthen America's energy leadership".
For Meta, the agreement is less about a near-term energy fix and more about securing future options. Major data center operators are increasingly competing for electricity as AI systems require more computing power and more cooling capacity. Traditional energy projects can take years to build, making alternative supply models more attractive.
Overview says its system is designed to work with solar projects that already exist. Instead of building entirely new power plants, the company aims to increase output from current sites by adding energy received from orbit.
"Space is becoming part of America's energy infrastructure", said Marc Berte, CEO of Overview Energy. "Our approach to space solar energy enables hyperscalers and technology providers to secure clean power with reliable siting, and speed to power.” "Together with Meta, we're looking beyond traditional constraints on where and when power can be delivered to meet the growing demand for electricity".
The larger significance of the partnership is what it signals about the energy market. As AI infrastructure expands, companies are beginning to look beyond conventional grids, gas plants and land-based renewables. Technologies once considered experimental are now being explored as part of long-term infrastructure planning.
There is still a long road ahead. Space solar power has been discussed for decades, but commercial deployment remains unproven. Launch costs, regulation and system reliability will all matter.
Even so, the Meta-Overview agreement shows how rising demand for constant power is reshaping where the technology sector looks for its next energy source.
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From AI love affairs to cosmic survival, 2026 has it all.
Updated
January 8, 2026 6:28 PM
A man in a space suit looking upon a ringed marble. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Grab your popcorn—the 2026 sci-fi movie slate is stacked. We’re getting everything from post-apocalyptic survival films to AI thrillers, plus a big-space adventure and a fresh DC superhero story. Some films launch new worlds, others expand familiar ones, but all of them aim to leave an impression, but all of them look like the kind of movies you’ll want to talk about after the credits.
Here are five upcoming sci-fi movies to mark on your calendar.
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Director: Kate Dolan
Stars: Lily Sullivan, David Rysdahl and Claudia Doumit
If you like your sci-fi with a creepy edge, Soulm8te is very much in that lane. A spin-off from the M3GAN universe, the film follows a man grieving the loss of his wife who turns to an AI android to ease the pain. At first, it seems to help. The connection feels real, even comforting. But before long, it becomes a little too real and slips into something far more dangerous. What makes Soulm8te unsettling is how close it feels to the present. AI companions are no longer science fiction, and the film plays with that reality in a way that feels intimate rather than futuristic. Directed by Kate Dolan, the story stays on quiet unease instead of spectacle, allowing tension to build as affection turns possessive and attachment becomes dangerous. The film is produced by Allison Williams and James Wan, both closely involved in the hit horror franchise M3GAN, and their experience with technology-driven horror is clearly felt here. Fans of grounded, psychological sci-fi should keep this one on their radar.
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Stars: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Amber Rose Revah, Sophie Thompson, Trond Fausa Aurvåg
Back in 2020, Greenland introduced audiences to John Garrity (Gerard Butler), a father racing against time to save his family as comet fragments threatened to wipe out life on Earth. The film ended with survivors heading into bunkers deep in Greenland, hanging on to the last thin thread of hope. This sequel follows the Garrity family as they leave the safety of underground shelters and face a world that no longer resembles home. The setting moves across a battered Europe, where every decision carries weight and every journey feels uncertain. Rather than repeating the ticking-clock chaos of the original, Migration leans into endurance, exhaustion and the question of whether rebuilding is even possible. It’s a post-apocalyptic movie about movement, loss and the cost of starting over.
Release Date: March 20, 2026
Director: Phil Lord & Chris Miller
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Milana Vayntrub, Sandra Hüller
Based on Andy Weir’s best-selling novel, Project Hail Mary is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about space survival films of 2026. Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, an unlikely astronaut whose journey into space begins with confusion rather than heroics. Grace, a former junior high science teacher, wakes up alone on a spacecraft, cut off from Earth and missing key memories about how he got there. As pieces slowly fall into place, so does the scale of the problem he’s been sent to solve. The film blends real science with high-stakes isolation, balancing quiet moments with the pressure of a mission that affects the entire planet. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, Project Hail Mary promises tension, curiosity and a heavy dose of human vulnerability set against the vastness of space.
Release Date: March 27, 2026
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin
The Dog Stars strips the apocalypse down to its bare essentials. Based on Peter Heller’s novel of the same name, the film features a screenplay by Mark L. Smith and Christopher Wilkinson, known for The Revenant and Ali. The setup of The Dog Stars is simple and bleak: a virus has erased most of humanity. What’s left is silence, abandoned airfields and roaming scavengers known as the “Reapers” who prey on the few survivors left behind.
Jacob Elordi plays Hig, a pilot living in isolation with his dog and a heavily armed companion. His days follow a strict routine, broken only by short flights in his aging Cessna. That fragile balance shatters when a distant radio signal breaks through the quiet. It’s the first real sign of life he has heard in years, and it draws him toward a journey that could change everything. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film focuses less on large-scale destruction and more on loneliness, hope and the risk of reaching out in a broken world. The result is a post-apocalyptic thriller that feels intimate, reflective and quietly tense.
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Stars: Milly Alcock, Jason Momoa, Matthias Schoenaerts
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow offers a very different take on the DC universe. This is a cosmic sci-fi story first, superhero film second. Kara Zor-El is older, tougher and shaped by memories of a world she lost. Unlike her cousin Superman, she remembers the destruction of Krypton clearly, and that history weighs heavily on her. The film follows Kara as she crosses paths with a young alien seeking justice, pulling her into a dangerous journey across distant worlds. Rather than focusing on Earth-saving spectacle, the story explores identity, grief and what heroism looks like far from home. With Milly Alcock stepping into the role, Supergirl 2026 aims to expand DC’s sci-fi side while giving the character emotional depth rarely seen on screen.
One reason science fiction movies stick with us is that they ask big questions in a way that feels personal. What happens when tech starts filling emotional gaps? What does survival look like when the world doesn’t bounce back? And how far would you go to save everyone you’ve ever known? If you’re looking for 2026 sci-fi movies that range from gritty to hopeful to unsettling, this lineup has you covered.