In China, they tested a system for combining microwave beams into one powerful beam – it reaches orbit

In China, scientists have created what they claim is the world’s first synchronization system for convergently combining microwave radiation from multiple sources into one powerful energy beam. An installation of seven platforms, each with its own radiation source, was configured to form a single beam, the power of which was sufficient to suppress the GPS signal in orbit. In the same way, energy obtained in space can be transferred to Earth.

«The Death Star focuses its rays. Image Source: Lucasfilm/Disney/SCMP

To sum the energy from multiple microwave beams from widely spaced sources, the sources must be positioned with millimeter precision and the signal must be synchronized within 170 picoseconds. They have already learned how to do this for laser radiation sources and are used in powerful laser systems for military and civilian purposes. This is more difficult to do with microwave radiation. But microwave radiation passes through the atmosphere with less loss.

To synchronize dispersed transmitting microwave equipment, all installations were connected by optical communication lines. It’s like the Event Horizon Telescope, but in reverse. The TGS telescope collected microwave data from eight radio telescopes distributed throughout the Earth. It was not possible to connect them with optics, and the data on hard drives was brought into one data center for synchronization.

A Chinese experiment has made it possible to synchronize microwave radiation sources on the fly to create a single powerful beam. First of all, this technology is considered as military – for example, to suppress satellite global positioning systems. However, it can also serve peaceful purposes. In particular, providing wireless transmission of solar energy produced in orbit to Earth with minimal losses.