Space charge phenomena seriously restrict the development of high voltage direct current plastic cables. At present, pulse electric-acoustic (PEA) method is one of the common non-destructive methods for measurement of space charge distribution in solid dielectrics in the world. Several space charge measurement technologies based on PEA for coaxial plastic cables are reviewed in consideration of the high voltage pulse injection modes. An improved space charge measurement device based on a high voltage pulse injecting into cables sample from the measuring electrode is also proposed, in which, to improve the bandwidth of the system measurement signal, the oscilloscope for data collection is insulated against ground through storage battery, epoxy base, and photoelectric converter, etc. Furthermore, the wave recovery method of space charge for coaxial plastic cable is introduced. Finally, the space charge measurement technology applied to evaluating the aging degree of power cable and the feasibility of space charge measurement on online in the future are summarized.