Cowboy Space CEO on Power Beaming, Orbital Data Centers, and Building a Launch Vehicle

An interview with Cowboy Space founder and CEO Beju Bot about the company's first satellite launch, its power-beaming ambitions, and its plan to build orbital data centers. Bot discusses why he left Robin Hood, how solar energy can be transmitted to Earth via infrared lasers, and why he believes purpose-built launch capacity is needed for orbital compute. The conversation also covers funding needs, development timelines, and the reasoning behind the company's recent name change.

■ Space power and orbital data centers
- First satellite launched earlier this month to demonstrate transmitting power from space to Earth using infrared lasers.
- Data centers in space are presented as a way to use space-based power directly and address growing energy needs for AI.
- The company is developing a bespoke launch vehicle specifically for placing data centers in orbit.

■ Launch vehicle and timeline
- First in-house rocket launch targeted for the end of 2028.
- Approach draws on reusable concepts, lower-cost components, and commercial off-the-shelf parts to enable faster iteration.
- FCC application cited for 20,000 satellites.

■ Funding and company context
- Prior funding round of about $275 million at a $2 billion valuation in May.
- Low single-digit billions expected to reach first rocket launch.
- Name changed from Aether Flux to Cowboy Space.

This interview is suited to viewers interested in space startups, orbital infrastructure, energy beaming, and commercial launch economics. It provides an overview of the company's stated goals, timelines, and capital requirements without deep technical or financial detail.