What is China’s ‘Starlink killer’? High-power microwave weapon targeting satellites

China builds compact microwave weapon capable of damaging Starlink satellites in space (File image)

• China unveils TPG1000Cs, a compact high-power microwave weapon
• TPG1000Cs deliver 20GW for nearly a minute, aimed at satellite networks.
• Weapon could disrupt Starlink satellites with microwave pulse overloads

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China has developed a compact high-power microwave (HPM) weapon that researchers say could pose a serious threat to satellite networks such as SpaceX’s Starlink, according to details published in a Chinese scientific journal and reported by the South China Morning Post.

The system, known as TPG1000Cs, has been developed by the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology (NINT) in Xi’an and is capable of delivering up to 20 gigawatts of power continuously for nearly one minute, a significant leap over earlier microwave weapons that could operate only for a few seconds.

Chinese officials and researchers have repeatedly described Starlink as a national security concern and have referred to efforts to counter it as developing a “Starlink killer”.

Measuring around four metres in length and weighing about five tonnes, the TPG1000Cs is compact enough to be deployed on trucks, warships, aircraft or potentially even satellites. Researchers say the system can fire up to 3,000 high-energy microwave pulses in a single session and has already completed around 200,000 test pulses during trials, demonstrating stable performance over extended durations.

According to the research team led by Wang Gang, the weapon incorporates several design innovations, including the use of aluminium alloy to reduce weight, wavy-grooved insulating plates to prevent electrical discharge, and a dual U-shaped energy storage structure that allows higher energy density in a smaller space. The findings were published on December 30 in the peer-reviewed journal High Power Laser and Particle Beams.

Experts cited in the report estimate that even a ground-based HPM system with an output exceeding one gigawatt could disrupt or damage low-Earth orbit satellites like Starlink, which have become more vulnerable after being lowered to reduce collision risks.

Unlike traditional missiles, high-power microwave weapons aim to disable electronics by inducing surge currents that can overload and damage satellite components without physical impact.

The development comes as militaries worldwide explore directed-energy weapons as cost-effective alternatives to conventional arms, and as China continues to signal its concern over the growing role of large commercial satellite constellations in modern conflicts.