Breakthroughs in Carbon Dioxide Conversion and Wireless Energy Beaming Advance Space Exploration and Sustainability

A Chinese research team has developed a method to electrochemically split carbon dioxide into carbon and oxygen, potentially revolutionizing carbon neutrality efforts. The process, detailed in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, uses a ruthenium-cobalt catalyst and lithium mediator for efficient oxygen production, exceeding natural photosynthesis. Tests included simulated Mars gas, indicating applications in space exploration, life support, and industrial waste treatment. Star Catcher, a Florida startup, successfully demonstrated wireless energy-beaming technology at EverBank Stadium. The company transmitted solar power across 300 feet to solar array receivers, marking a step toward orbital systems for wireless energy transfer. With $12.25 million in seed funding, Star Catcher plans a larger demonstration at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, aiming to power mock satellites and launch an energy-beaming satellite network by 2025, providing energy to Earth and orbiting satellites.