Until now, the Earth is plunged into darkness after sunset, but in the future, efforts are underway to bring sunlight even into the darkness of night. Reflect Orbital, an American startup company, is preparing to deploy satellites in space that will reflect the sun’s rays toward Earth like mirrors. India’s private space company, Skyroot Aerospace, will also play a role in this project.
Reflect Orbital, an American company, is developing technology to transmit light to selected areas of Earth using reflective satellites in space. As part of the company’s plan, a demonstration satellite named “Erendil-1” is being developed. It will feature a reflector measuring approximately 18 by 18 meters (59 by 59 feet). Its purpose is to deflect sunlight in a specific direction and transmit it to Earth.
The company aims to illuminate an area of ​​approximately 5 kilometers. However, this doesn’t mean the entire city will glow like day at night. The brightness and duration of the illumination will depend on the satellite’s location and the technology’s capabilities.
This mission also holds significant opportunities for India. Skyroot Aerospace has signed an agreement with Reflect Orbital to launch two satellites. Planned for launch, one is to be carried out using the Vikram-1 rocket and the other using the under-development Vikram-1U. This could provide India’s private space companies with an opportunity to showcase their capabilities in new types of space missions.
If successful, this technology could help provide additional lighting for rescue and relief operations in remote areas and for specific needs. It could also be explored for use in solar power plants. However, providing additional illumination at night raises several questions. This could impact astronomers’ studies, nocturnal animals, and human sleep. Therefore, testing the technology and assessing its environmental impacts will be crucial. At present, the idea of ​​bringing sunlight from space to the earth is a new possibility in the world of science.