Wireless charging tech may unlock cheaper, smarter rover missions

Scientists and the Imperial College London spinoff Bumblebee Power have developed a high-frequency Inductive Wireless Power Transfer (IWPT) system designed to wirelessly charge Mars rovers, potentially enabling longer and more cost-effective space missions. Unlike current rovers like NASA’s Perseverance, which rely on expensive and limited plutonium-238-powered Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (MMRTGs), Bumblebee’s wireless charging technology can transmit electricity over greater distances and with higher tolerance for misalignment. This capability is crucial for space applications where manual repositioning of charging points is impossible. Bumblebee Power’s IWPT system operates at three times the distance and with three times the misalignment tolerance compared to existing wireless chargers, allowing multiple devices to be charged from a single pad. Originating from Imperial College London’s Wireless Power Lab, the technology was initially intended for terrestrial electronics and electric vehicles but has promising applications for off-world exploration. By removing the need for physical power connectors,