A US space company, Reflect Orbital, has signed an agreement with Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace to launch satellites designed to redirect sunlight to specific parts of Earth during nighttime.
Reflect Orbital, headquartered in California, plans to place satellites equipped with large reflective mirrors in orbit. The company says the system could provide illumination for rescue operations during disasters and help solar power plants generate electricity for longer hours.
In its statement, the firm said it would be able to deliver sunlight over an area of around 5 sq km where needed. The brightness can be controlled and the light can be switched off at required times, with potential uses including extending work hours in remote industrial zones, supporting security measures and lighting public events.
Skyroot’s Vikram rockets are expected to be used for the launches. The first satellite is planned to fly on the Vikram-1 rocket, while a second satellite would be launched on the Vikram-1U vehicle, which is currently under development.
The concept has been tested earlier: in 1993, Russian scientists deployed a 65-foot reflective mirror under the “Znamya” project to reflect sunlight to Earth. Though the test was successful, the programme was later dropped due to lack of funding.
