Once upon a time there was a thing called night. For millennia, humanity has tried to mitigate it: with fire, with oil lamps, with electricity. Now, in 2024, a group of modern Prometes think they have found the definitive solution. Not by stealing fire from the gods, but by reflecting sunlight from space with orbital mirrors. A bit' like some Scandinavian countries do which has few hours of light.
Reflect Orbital, a California startup, wants to turn Earth's orbit into a giant cosmic switch. Is this the beginning of an energy revolution or just the latest chapter in our eternal fight against darkness? Let's take a walk on the borders between genius and madness: just like those between day and night.
Orbital mirrors: a constellation of hope
Reflect Orbital isn't proposing to light a giant space streetlamp - the plan is much more subtle. The company intends to launch a constellation of 57 small satellites in sun-synchronous polar orbit. Each of these satellites will be equipped with mylar orbital mirrors, the size of a tennis court: 10 square meters of reflective surface floating in space.
“The problem is that solar energy is not available when we actually want it,” he explains Ben Nowack, CEO of Reflect Orbital.
And he's right. The intermittency of solar energy is the Achilles' heel of this renewable source. But what if we could extend the day by just half an hour?
How do orbital mirrors work?
Imagine these orbital mirrors as a team of cosmic dancers, dancing 600 kilometers above our heads. Their choreography? Reflect sunlight back to specific solar power plants on Earth, just as the sun is setting or before it rises.
This “extra light” could allow solar power plants to generate electricity and charge higher prices before sunrise and after sunset. It's like having a cosmic switch for the sun, with tangible economic benefits.
A daydream? She ignored it. Reflect Orbital has already conducted promising tests using a hot air balloon, generating “500 watts of energy per square meter” of solar panel. The next step? Launch a prototype satellite next year.
Brilliant idea or blunder? Lights and shadows of orbital mirrors
This isn't the first time someone has proposed putting mirrors in space. Russia he tried in the 90s, and other research teams, such as the SOLSPACE project at the University of Glasgow, are exploring similar ideas.
Like any revolutionary idea, Reflect Orbital's orbital mirrors are not without controversy. Andrew Williams of the European Southern Observatory has raised concerns about potential light pollution (which is only one of the possible problems) which could influence astronomical observations.
“These satellites could outshine the brightest stars if not carefully designed,” warns Williams.
The future is bright (maybe too bright?)
Reflect Orbital's orbital mirrors represent a bold attempt to rewrite the rules of the energy game. If successful, they could revolutionize the way we think about solar energy and its availability.
But like any great innovation, they also raise important questions. Are we ready to manipulate sunlight on a global scale? What could be the unforeseen consequences of this “sun on demand”?
Only time will tell whether these orbital mirrors will illuminate our future or whether they will remain just a shining reflection of our ambitions.
