Reflect Orbital sells sunlight at night, but don't trust that fancy video
mashable.com
It's... intriguing.
  • Telorand@reddthat.com
    English
    0·
    11 months ago

    Scientists: Climate change is happening.

    Some billionaires: Let’s make a giant parasol in space.

    This guy: How about more sun?

  • mozz@mbin.grits.dev
    0·
    11 months ago

    How will launching mirrors of the size of your entire farm (if not hundreds times larger) for extra 30 min of sunset ever be more cost-effective than simply adding a small percentage of extra PV panels

    This is this year’s single biggest understatement

  • Depress_Mode@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    “‘By precisely reflecting sunlight that is endlessly available in space to specific targets on the ground, we can create a world where sunlight powers solar farms for longer than just daytime, and in doing this, commoditize sunlight.’”

  • yesman@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    I watched a video yesterday about the laser range finder on a tank. The interesting thing is that at long enough ranges, the laser expands into a cone that may be bigger than the target and give inaccurate readings.

    Anyway, I look forward to this totally real and feasible technology.

  • Vik@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    It’s like that episode of futurama - the mirror wernstrom put in space to reflect sunlight, which gets tapped by a little space rock, and tilts into a solar powered death beam

  • clearedtoland@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    I don’t even want to imagine the environmental studies and hurdles they’ll have to jump through to artificially alter an areas day/night cycle. There’s a laundry list of environmental concerns that I’m sure any homeowner or eco-activist worth their salt would jump on. Not to mention glare and impacts to air traffic, on and on.

    Would make my solar panels pretty darn effective though. Would probably be great for SAD in winter too. Clever idea. Not sure I can get behind it though.

    • werefreeatlast@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      11 months ago

      Oh Mr X guy, so you want to fly a Teslas into space? Are there environmental impacts? Oh. Yes, one more million. Okay looks like you’ve covered all the possible impacts, you have our go for launch!

        • werefreeatlast@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          0·
          11 months ago

          Oh wait…

          Oh Mr X guy, so you want to fly a big ass mirror into space? Are there environmental impacts? Oh. Yes, one more million. Okay looks like you’ve covered all the possible impacts, you have our go for launch! We might need a few more millions of reasons to keep the masses at bay please. Thank you!

          • webghost0101@sopuli.xyzEnglish
            0·
            11 months ago

            Honestly if X guy could please hurry up and buy this company.

            I need them to go bankrupt or have become illegal before they send some actual junk into space. And if they do send something it needs to have stupid decisions by a higher up so it cant actually remain up there and ruin the nights further.

  • Sir Arthur V Quackington@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    I will learn how to make an orbital rocket just to fuck this things day up.

    No, night is already too bright. You are not ruining this for me further.

  • JohnDClay@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    Might be fun for novelty on a concert venue or ball game, but I can’t imagine it’d be economical for solar farms.

  • RicoBerto@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    0·
    11 months ago

    This was a project by the soviets in the 80s as well. I know there is a well produced YouTube video on the subject, but sadly it must be named something incomprehensible like “the forgotten Russian project to turn night into day.” Because I can’t fucking find it.

    Here’s a Smithsonian article instead. here