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Failed to connect to MySQL: (1203) User howardkn already has more than 'max_user_connections' active connectionsPath: ...!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Dimensional Traveler Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: Re: OT: Surely there's an SF story with this..... Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2024 18:30:09 -0700 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 61 Message-ID: References: <8ot2dj9g79mj7i1kidb0l3fnt6jho6udlk@4ax.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Injection-Date: Wed, 04 Sep 2024 03:30:07 +0200 (CEST) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="91722c6fed2595d37bcb988dab631d43"; logging-data="3732490"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1+jgs9GGZ6Cg5zgx+dqKykU" User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Cancel-Lock: sha1:wURViLyo4b0cYvOAh9ReNIY1WTA= Content-Language: en-US In-Reply-To: Bytes: 3310 On 9/3/2024 11:44 AM, Lynn McGuire wrote: > 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 >>> wrote: >>> >>>> On 8/30/2024 2:39 AM, Mad Hamish wrote: >>>>> On Thu, 29 Aug 2024 13:29:43 -0500, Lynn McGuire >>>>> 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. > But then you wouldn't have a story for the book! -- I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky dirty old man.