A California startup wants to beam extra sunlight to Earth orbiting mirrors, but some are skeptical about whether the physics and economics add up.
Reflect Orbital plans to launch 57 small satellites into polar orbit, each equipped with 33-foot mylar mirrors designed to redirect focused beams of sunlight to solar farms around dawn and dusk. The company has raised $8.7 million from Sequoia Capital and other investors, as reported in Space.com. According to Vice, they are selling 5km diameters for light in four minute slices.
"The problem is that solar energy is not available when we actually want it," founder Ben Nowack explained at a recent conference. "It would be really great if we could get some solar energy before the sun rises and after sunset."
But on Hacker News, engineers point out fundamental challenges. Most of Earth's surface is water or uninhabited land, meaning "most of your time orbiting is going to be over areas with no paying customers."
Another commenter said, "This is like something they would have come up with on HBO's Silicon Valley. Who do I complain to when a nearby golf course orders some nightshine and now my sky looks like I'm under a police helicopter?"
The concept isn't entirely new. The Soviet Union tested a similar system called Znamya in the 1990s. While one test successfully created a moving spotlight as bright as a full moon, a second attempt failed when the mirror ripped during deployment.
The company aims to launch its first prototype in 2025.
Previously:
• Tracking orbital trash
