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IMPORT > ANS 27.10.24 03:18l 52 Lines 2699 Bytes #124 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS301.8
Read: GUEST
Subj: Reflect Orbital To Sell Sunlight Using In-Space Mirrors
Path: IZ3LSV<DB0ERF<DK0WUE<DK0WUE<VK5RSV<K7EK<KA1VSC<WG3K
Sent: 241027/0109Z 9558@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
Instead of being constrained by the physical reality that limits the sun to
its daily cycle, imagine a future where the sun can be turned on and off
like a flashlight.
This is the future that Reflect Orbital imagines is possible. The startup
is developing satellites that would deploy large mirrors to precisely
reflect sunlight onto specific points on the ground. Rings of satellites in
sun-synchronous orbit would follow the terminator, or the line that
separates night and day, providing additional sunlight before dawn and
after dusk.
Illustration of illuminated sites* [Image: Reflect Orbital]*
According to Reflectâ€Ös two co-founders, CEO Ben Nowack and CTO Tristan
Semmelhack, this extra sunlight could increase the amount of solar power
delivered to the electricity grid. Instead of building more solar farms,
the pair thinks we can simply increase the amount of power generated at the
ones that already exist.
The pair say they are still playing with the final configuration for its
production-scale vehicles, like the exact size of the reflective array or
the final number of satellites that will make up the constellation. But
they are starting small, and the first orbital mission will fly a subscale
prototype with a reflector thatâ€Ös 10 by 10 meters.
Many of the debunking videos cite the 10 by 10 meter figure, which is too
small to reflect an economically meaningful amount of sunlight on the
ground. A news article from earlier this year also said that the
constellation will be just 57 satellites.
But Semmelhack said these figures are inaccurate; 57 satellites ringing
Earth will guarantee a half hour of service twice per day, once in the
morning and once in the evening, the minimum to achieve the plans to
“extend the day.” The pair also say that 10 by 10 meters is “just a
starting point”: Full-scale production vehicles will deploy arrays that are
much larger, around 50 by 50 meters or bigger, with the planned
constellation growing to “thousands to tens of thousands” of satellites.
“The 10 by 10 is our demonstration that will be brighter than a full moon,
roughly 400,000 times less bright than the sun at noon,” Nowack explained
over email. “Our production service is targeting 1/5 noon sunlight
brightness and will use 100â€Ös – 1000â€Ös of larger vehicles focused at one
spot. A 50 by 50 satellite is actually on the small end.”
But even given these additional details, the satellites would still need to
be capable of maintaining highly precise control over their mirrors on
orbit, and do this across many thousands of satellites. It will be a huge
challenge.
[ANS thanks Aria Alamalhodaei and TechCrunch for the above information]
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