China's High-Power 'Microwave Weapon' That Can Damage Satellites In Space

China has developed a high-power microwave system that could one day be used to disrupt satellite networks such as SpaceX's Starlink.

According to Chinese experts, a ground-based microwave weapon with an output exceeding one gigawatt (1 GW) could be powerful enough to severely interfere with or even damage Starlink satellites operating in low Earth orbit, reported the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

High-power microwave weapons have gained prominence in recent years as militaries look for cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to traditional missiles and guns.

Researchers, led by Wang Gang, at the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology in Xian, Shaanxi province, have now taken this concept by developing a system, known as the TPG1000Cs, which is capable of generating extremely powerful microwave pulses for far longer durations.

The device can deliver up to 20 gigawatts of power continuously for as long as one minute. It measures just four meters in length and weighs around five tonnes. Until now, high-power microwave systems were massive and heavy and could only fire for a few seconds before overheating or running out of stored energy.

Chinese officials and military researchers have repeatedly warned that Starlink poses a national security risk and to protect that they have created a "Starlink killer."

The findings published in the journal Chinese High Power Laser and Particle Beams state that this device is designed for deployment on trucks, ships, aircraft or potentially in space.

Researchers said the new system is designed to operate at a scale never achieved before by high-power microwave devices. It can deliver up to 3,000 high-energy microwave pulses in a single operating session. 

The researchers added that the device has already completed more than 200,000 test pulses during trials. TPG1000Cs also represents a major upgrade over its earlier Hurricane-series high-power microwave (HPM) weapons, which were primarily designed for short-range air defence.

According to The Independent, "The system has demonstrated stable operation over continuous one-minute durations, accumulating approximately 200,000 pulses with consistent performance," researchers wrote.

Mounted on vehicles, HPM could quickly target and disable drones within a limited range of around two to three kilometres. However, due to their short operating duration, the researchers developed a device capable of targeting distant targets.