Chinese scientists make breakthrough in space-based wireless power transmission

Chinese scientists have successfully tested a ground-based system capable of wirelessly transmitting power to multiple moving targets simultaneously, marking a major breakthrough in the global race to harness solar energy from space.

The milestone was achieved by the "Sun Chasing project" research team led by Duan Baoyan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Xidian University in Shaanxi province.

The breakthrough brings the long-envisioned concept of orbital "wireless charging stations" closer to reality.

The system successfully delivered 1,180 watts of output power over a distance of more than 100 meters to multiple moving targets. The successful demonstration of "one-to-many" dynamic wireless power transmission pushes the technology closer to practical engineering applications.

Duan compared the space solar power station to a wireless charging post positioned in a predetermined orbit.

Space-based solar power is widely regarded as a promising future clean energy solution. In orbit, free from atmospheric interference and the cycle of night and day, such systems can collect sunlight continuously. However, because running physical cables down to Earth or between spacecraft is impossible, scientists must rely on microwave wireless power transmission. The process converts electricity into microwaves, beams them across vast distances, and then converts them back into usable direct-current electricity upon arrival.

Currently, many small low-Earth-orbit satellites can generate power for only about 60 minutes during each 96-minute orbit. For the remaining time, they remain in the Earth's shadow and rely entirely on onboard batteries. A space-based charging network would reduce this dependence on individual solar panels, allowing satellites to recharge in orbit, Duan said.

To achieve this, Duan's team proposed the OMEGA design in 2014, which uses unique spherical principles to concentrate sunlight. In June 2022, the team built what it described as the world's first full-link ground validation system, successfully testing every stage of the process — from capturing sunlight and converting it into electricity, to transforming the electricity into microwaves, transmitting them before converting them back into electricity on the ground.

The team's latest iteration, dubbed Distributed OMEGA, addresses the complex engineering challenge of building and maintaining massive power grids in space. By focusing on modularity, the system uses standardized, independent components that can be assembled or replaced in orbit like building blocks.

Recent test data highlighted significant performance improvements over the 2022 baseline. At a distance of more than 100 meters, the system achieved a 20.8 percent direct current-to-direct current transmission efficiency, up from 15.05 percent in 2022. The beam collection efficiency reached 88.0 percent, ensuring that the microwave energy beam remained tightly focused on its target.

Crucially, the team also solved the tracking precision challenge required to power moving objects. In a simulated trial, a drone flying at 30 kilometers per hour successfully received a stable 143 watts of power from 30 meters away. This capability is considered essential for space applications, where satellites and orbital stations are constantly moving relative to one another.

An expert panel organized by the Shaanxi Provincial Technology Transfer Center evaluated the project and concluded that the results had reached a world-leading level, with broad prospects for engineering and industrial applications.

The breakthrough comes at a strategic time, as China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) places strong emphasis on the utilization of space resources. According to the project's long-term road map, the team plans to carry out low-Earth-orbit technology verification tests during the plan period. It then aims to conduct a megawatt-scale in-orbit test around 2030, with the ultimate goal of building a commercial gigawatt-scale space solar power station by 2050 to beam clean energy directly to Earth.