It’s an interesting concept. But knowing capitalism it’ll soon be used and abused.
/We can’t have anything nice.
Reflect Orbital’s satellite, Earendil-1, features an adjustable “highly specular, thin-film reflector” for directing sunlight, and a built-in propulsion system that’s supposed to help it avoid collisions and otherwise maneuver while in low-earth orbit. Reflect Orbital imagines operating a Starlink-esque network it can position for on-demand sunlight (powering solar panels or increasing visibility for search-and-rescue teams), but for now it’ll test its premise with a single satellite.
It’s an interesting concept. But knowing capitalism it’ll soon be used and abused.
/We can’t have anything nice.