A Chinese research team has taken a major step toward turning orbit into a giant power socket, successfully beaming electricity to multiple moving targets at once.
Chinese scientists have developed a ground-based system capable of wirelessly transmitting kilowatt-level power to several moving targets simultaneously, a key milestone in the push toward space-based solar power stations.
The system was built around a 75-metre tower at Xidian University in Xi’an and forms part of China’s long-running “Zhuri” or “Chasing the Sun” project led by engineer Duan Baoyan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Researchers say the platform successfully delivered 1,180 watts of power over distances exceeding 100 metres while maintaining precise microwave beam control, a critical requirement for future orbital energy networks. The system also demonstrated “one-to-many” energy transmission, a feature considered essential for powering multiple satellites or devices from a single space-based station.
Drone test shows real-time powering of moving targets
In a separate experiment, the system successfully powered a drone flying at 30 kph (18 mph). According to state news agency Xinhua, the drone received 143 watts of stable power from about 30 metres away, showing that the system can maintain energy transfer even while targets are in motion.
This ability to track and power moving objects is seen as one of the hardest technical barriers to making space solar power practical.
The system achieved an overall 20.8% direct current-to-direct current transmission efficiency, meaning roughly one-fifth of the generated energy was successfully delivered and converted back into usable electricity. Beam control performance was also strong, with researchers reporting 88% beam collection efficiency, helping keep microwave energy tightly focused on targets.
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Building the orbiting power station concept
Researchers describe the system as a step toward an orbital “wireless charging station” that could operate like a space-based energy hub, according to Global Times.
Duan compared the idea to a charging post placed in orbit, capable of supplying continuous energy to satellites and other space infrastructure. Space-based solar power is especially attractive because satellites in low Earth orbit typically spend long periods in Earth’s shadow and rely heavily on onboard batteries. A space-based network could reduce that limitation by supplying energy continuously.
From theory to engineering reality
The Zhuri project has been in development since 2014, when the team first proposed the OMEGA design for space solar collection and transmission systems.
By 2022, researchers had built the world’s first full-chain ground-based verification platform, simulating the entire process: capturing sunlight, converting it into electricity, converting it into microwaves, transmitting them, and converting them back into electricity.
The latest iteration, known as Distributed OMEGA, improves scalability by using modular components that can be assembled in space like building blocks. Researchers say the technology still has a long way to go before commercial use becomes possible.
The next phase includes low Earth orbit testing, followed by a planned megawatt-scale in-orbit demonstration around 2030. If successful, China aims to develop a gigawatt-scale space solar power station by 2050, potentially creating a continuous clean energy source that beams power directly from space to Earth or spacecraft.
Also read: Anthropic’s SpaceX compute deal points to future orbital AI infrastructure as power and compute planning move beyond traditional data centers.
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