California-based startup Reflect Orbital aims to build a swarm of 4,000 giant mirrors in low Earth orbit to “sell sunlight” to customers at night. Experts warn that the mirrors could mess with telescopes, blind stargazers and impact the environment.
Reflect Orbital, which was founded in 2021, has recently taken the first step in a scheme to sell sunlight at night by bouncing solar rays off giant “reflectors” that can redirect the vital resource almost anywhere on our planet. By doing this, the company aims to extend daylight hours in specific locations, thus allowing paying customers to generate solar power, grow crops and replace urban lighting.
But experts say it is a wildly impractical plan that should never get off the ground. What’s more, the resulting light pollution could devastate ground-based astronomy, distract aircraft pilots and even blind stargazers.
007 did it.
I’m trying to remember the name of the film.
Technically there were two.
The Man With the Golden Gun (has sun laser; never seen used)
Die Another Day (sun laser is used)
They both happen to be my all time favorite Bond movies because they are absurdly over the top.
I think man with the golden gun is the one I’m thinking of.
The man with golden gun only had a ground based “laser” powered by “solar energy”. Die another day had an actual “burning ants with a magnifying glass” tier orbital solar deathray.