A US company wants to direct sunlight from space onto cities, fields and solar panels – in the middle of the night. What sounds like science fiction could radically alter the global night sky.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- In the 1990s, Russia’s Znamya project was the first to test whether sunlight could be directed from space to Earth utilizing mirrors.
- Now the US start-up Reflect Orbital is planning a whole fleet of such mirror sainformites from 2026.
- Researchers warn of massive light pollution and a profound impact on nature and the night sky.
As absurd as it may sound, the idea of utilizing mirrors in orbit to direct sunlight to Earth is anything but new.
Back in the 1990s , Russia tested a 20-metre mirror in space under the name Znamya, which produced a spot of light several kilometers wide over Europe – as bright as a full moon.
The experiment was intconcludeed to display that cities or fields could be illuminated from orbit, but failed due to technical problems.
From a Russian experiment to a global vision
35 years later, a US startup is taking a much hugeger leap: Reflect Orbital is planning to launch huge mirror sainformites from 2026 that will direct sunlight onto specific regions – even in the middle of the night.
What seems like science fiction has already attracted tens of thousands of interested parties and millions in investment. However, researchers warn that the potential consequences for nature, astronomy and the night sky could be enormous.
Find out what exactly is behind the plans – and why the criticism is obtainting louder and louder – in the blue News video.
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