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From: Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: OT: Surely there's an SF story with this.....
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2024 13:44:47 -0500
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
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On 9/3/2024 1:08 PM, Cryptoengineer wrote:
> On 9/3/2024 11:04 AM, Mad Hamish wrote:
>> On Fri, 30 Aug 2024 13:31:29 -0500, Lynn McGuire
>> <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 8/30/2024 2:39 AM, Mad Hamish wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 29 Aug 2024 13:29:43 -0500, Lynn McGuire
>>>> <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On 8/29/2024 1:07 PM, Cryptoengineer wrote:
>>>>>> Reflect Orbital
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https://www.reflectorbital.com/lighting
>>>>>>
>>>>>> is proposing to launch a fleet of orbital mirrors to provide lighting
>>>>>> to nighttime locations on the Earth.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> They claim they will be able to light up a 5km diameter circle for
>>>>>> 4 minutes. They're accepting reservations, but I can't find any
>>>>>> pricing. They expect to start in Q4 2025.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm *extremely* skeptical. To be even as bright as moonlight,
>>>>>> the mirror would have to appear 1/7 the area of the Moon in
>>>>>> the sky.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I can't think of a use case for 4 minutes of light, but they
>>>>>> also talk about using it to power up solar panel systems at
>>>>>> night, which makes no sense.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I think its either an art project, or some kind of scam to
>>>>>> fleece investors who are bad at math.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Still, very stfnal.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> pt
>>>>>
>>>>> "Live Free or Die" by John Ringo is close to the concept.  The
>>>>> protagonist uses millions of mirrors by Sol to melt metal heavy
>>>>> asteroids and protect Earth from invaders coming through the new 
>>>>> Star Gate.
>>>>
>>>> I'm hoping that they'll be well short of that level
>>>
>>> What level ?
>>>
>> The level that melts heavy metal asteroids (and also blows up
>> spaceships iirc)
> 
> And is a weapon of mass destruction if pointed at the Earth.
> 
> pt

Better have failsafes.

Lynn