China claims to have developed a compact power source that could drastically reduce the size of a high-power microwave weapon capable of downing Starlink satellites.

This device can produce up to 10 gigawatts of power, with a frequency of 10 pulses per second.

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the high-intensity energy produced by this device could generate microwave beams that are potent enough to damage drones, airplanes, and even satellites. 

The team responsible for developing the new device is led by Shu Ting, associated with the College of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies at the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha, Hunan province.

Usually, an energy supply system capable of producing such a high-power output is intricate, bulky, and occupies abundant space.

However, the SCMP report noted that the newly developed device, along with all the required components such as capacitors and a control system, can even be accommodated on a bookshelf due to its small size.

The device is valuable for military purposes since it enables mounting the microwave weapon on a truck or rooftop, facilitating unexpected attacks on enemy targets passing through the sky.

Furthermore, the report alleged that the power device could be connected continuously to a city power grid. Nevertheless, the team encountered some challenges while attempting to make this device operate efficiently.

According to Chinese scientists quoted by SCMP, generating high-power electricity in a small device can lead to catastrophic outcomes. In their preliminary experiments, the flow of electricity at an extremely high voltage resulted in short circuits that burned the hardened insulators.

Image courtesy: National University of Defence Technology, China