California-based start-up Reflect Orbital plans to sell sunlight at night by launching a series of satellites with large mirrors that can reflect sunlight into specific places on Earth. The main goal is to maximize the production of solar farms by offering on-demand sunlight, especially at night when solar panels are essentially useless.
This idea is not new. Russia’s Znamya project experimented with this idea in the 1990s to illuminate specific regions with limited sunlight during nighttime, especially during the winter when the lack of this resource could affect communities negatively.
The project, however, did not succeed due to technical glitches and technological limitations at the time.
The California start-up plans to create a constellation of satellites to reflect sunlight
Reflect Orbital satellite founders Ben Nowack and Tristan Semmelhack have stated that their mission is to create a constellation of satellites to reflect sunlight directly to Earth during nighttime. The CEOs claim this technology has the potential to revolutionize the solar energy industry by ensuring continuous solar energy during nighttime.
The company has completed a prototype that proved to be a success by using a hot-air balloon equipped with sunlight onto a mobilized solar farm. The next step for the company is to start deploying satellite-based mirrors with production being tipped to start next year.
The company’s website says that applications for their new sunlight services will stop being accepted in October 2024, and there will be extremely limited availability. The deployment of their sunlight devices will last for four minutes, covering an area of a diameter of about three square miles.
The California start-up company’s CEO showed how the system will work. Clients who will use the system are going to be able to use an app that will allow them to select a location on the map and once the space is hit, the selected space will be covered by sunlight.
Is this technology feasible?
This idea seems to be great at first sight, but, unfortunately, it might be impossible to implement in the near future. Reflect Orbital CEOs have explained that, so far, they have tested its mirrors on a hot air balloon. No satellite has been sent to space by the company, however.
The California start-up has stated it plans to launch its first large deployable reflector in the next four to five months, as the next step for the company is to send equipment to space.
The company will continue to working in two parts. The main branch is Lightning, which will focus on bringing light during night time, whereas the Energy department will bring solar energy specifically to solar farms during nighttime.
