Order sunlight whenever and wherever you want on demand
Reflect Orbital, a groundbreaking startup led by Tristan Semmelhack and Ben Nowack, is making waves in the world of renewable energy with their innovative approach to harnessing the power of the sun. Imagine being able to tap into the sun’s limitless energy even after the stars come out. That’s exactly what Reflect Orbital aims to achieve with their constellation of mirrors in space that can beam sunlight to Earth at night, essentially selling daylight on demand.
The sun, our trusty fusion reactor in the sky, holds an incredible 24 trillion times more energy than we currently use, making it the ultimate renewable resource. Reflect Orbital’s mission is nothing short of revolutionary, aiming to change how we think about power forever by harnessing this boundless energy.
How does it work? Reflect Orbital’s concept involves deploying large mirrors in space to capture sunlight and redirect it to specific locations on Earth. This innovative approach could extend the operational hours of solar farms, allowing them to generate power even after sunset. Satellites positioned approximately 370 miles above Earth will be equipped with ultra-reflective Mylar mirrors, each deployment illuminating a 3-mile-wide area for about four minutes.
The potential applications of this technology are vast and varied. From extended solar power generation to urban lighting and emergency services, Reflect Orbital’s technology has the potential to revolutionize how we harness and utilize solar energy. Customers, including businesses, governments, and individuals, will be able to request light bursts by simply entering their location’s GPS coordinates online.
While Reflect Orbital faces significant technical challenges, including atmospheric scattering and cloud interference, they have brought on experts from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to validate the physics and ensure the project’s feasibility. The company recently secured a $6.5 million seed round led by Sequoia Capital, marking a significant milestone in their journey towards bringing space-based sunlight services to fruition.
Reflect Orbital’s future plans include developing a constellation of satellites to provide sunlight to thousands of solar farms after dark. They envision deploying a ring of 57 satellites in sun-synchronous orbit, which would allow them to provide an additional 30 minutes of sunshine to a solar farm anywhere on Earth.
As Reflect Orbital continues to move forward with its ambitious plans, the world will be watching to see if they can truly bring sunlight to Earth after the sun has set, potentially ushering in a new era of solar power utilization. The concept may seem futuristic, but it is grounded in sound scientific principles and backed by serious investors, making it a promising innovation in the field of renewable energy.
