Chinese scientists have created a high-power microwave weapon that synchronizes electromagnetic waves into one big beam they can concentrate on a target. It’s like something out of a sci-fi movie!
The weapon system is made up of seven microwave-transmitting vehicles. Each must be deployed to different locations and positioned with a margin of error of only a few millimeters.
This is difficult to do because microwaves are narrow beams of energy that need to be aligned with extreme precision to converge together. The timings of their firing also have to be controlled to within one-millionths of a second.
China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system has a positioning accuracy of 0.4 inches, but that is still not enough to meet the requirements of the new weapon system.
The purpose of the new technology is to deactivate satellites in space. It can even disrupt the signals of American GPS and other satellites.
With this technology, Chinese scientists can reach multiple goals related to military exercises, new technology verification, and teaching and training.
To create the weapon system, laser-ranging auxiliary positioning devices were installed on the transmitting vehicles to obtain the exact coordinates down to the last millimeter.
The firing synchronization has to be within 170 picoseconds. The scientists achieved greater accuracy by using optical fibers to connect the vehicles, which has been fundamental to the technology’s success.
In addition, the vehicles were controlled by mobile command centers. The centers analyzed data from various platforms, organized control of the beams, and issued orders to the transmitting vehicles.
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A scientist involved with the project claimed that the converging microwave beams had a combined power that was strong enough to break the law of the conservation of energy. The system is designed to be used in space, not on land, at sea, or in the atmosphere.
Microwaves cannot operate across long distances because dust and moisture scatter the waves. Increasing the power can counter the disruption, but it would present certain challenges. For instance, batteries currently do not have the capacity to provide that much energy.
The latest energy beam weapon emphasizes the importance of technology advancements. It seems to draw inspiration from Star Wars, but it can’t blow up planets. In the film, the Death Star is a weapon that could destroy a planet by firing a single beam.
It is unclear whether the Chinese scientists were actually inspired by the film, but the new technology they created is similar to the Death Star’s energy beam and brought a movie concept to reality. Instead of obliterating planets, it wipes out satellites orbiting in space that belong to the enemy.
Someday, perhaps someone in the world will be able to develop a device that is capable of decimating a planet.
