The sun is obviously one of the most important things for life on Earth, s how valuable would it be if you could have access to sunlight anytime you wanted it, day or night?
The practical uses seem obvious.
Solar farms could produce energy 24/7. A tropical resort could boast sunny beaches day and night. Farmers could dramatically expand their growth potential, and much more.
Well, a startup company called Reflect Orbital is hoping that there is enough demand for this type of service to make it a reality.
The company is founded by a former SpaceX intern, Ben Nowack.
The idea is that they will put up mirrors into space that will orbit the Earth. They will be positioned far enough away that when it is night on Earth, the mirror is still in the path of sunlight.
Then, with some quick position adjustments, the mirror can direct the sunlight down onto the Earth in the exact location where it is needed.
They even produced a video and published it on X showing how they can summon sunlight from their app.
Of course, that video must have been made on a stage or a simulation because the company does not yet have their satellite in orbit.
The company claims that they are planning on having the reflective satellite launched in the later part of 2025. Notably, they have not released prices for their service yet.
Of course, there are some pretty big obstacles that they will need to overcome.
To start with, there will undoubtedly be a lot of regulatory issues. Not all countries are going to allow beams of light to be directed at them without some type of pushback.
Being able to restrict where someone can direct the light will also be difficult. You don’t want a vindictive ex buying a month of sunlight for their former spouse, causing them to be unable to sleep, for example.
While it would be surprising if they are able to meet their 2025 goal for this service, the benefits it could offer make it a very interesting company to keep an eye on.
I might be willing to pay a few dollars to be able to go to my backyard pool and tan at 2AM.
If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about a second giant hole has opened up on the sun’s surface. Here’s what it means.