'Blinding' Desert Lights in California Turn Out to Be a Tech Test for Orbital Sunshine

'Blinding' desert lights in California turn out to be a tech test for orbital sunshine

Los Angeles startup Reflect Orbital used generator-powered spotlights on Horseshoe Meadows Road during a demonstration in the Eastern Sierra to mimic how satellite-mounted mirrors could send sunlight to the ground after dark.

Worst idea: Space mirror dress rehearsal

This week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported an unusual event in the Eastern Sierra foothills near Lone Pine, California. After sunset on Saturday, Oct. 10th, two incredibly bright beams of light lanced down from the mountains near Mt. Whitney, flooding the desert floor with light.

Artificial sunlight after sunset? California desert test raises big questions

Imagine stepping outside at midnight and seeing sunlight falling on the ground, even though the Sun disappeared hours ago. Sounds strange, right? An American space startup called Reflect Orbital is working on an idea that could make something similar possible. On October 10, the company lit up a section of the California desert using powerful spotlights to demonstrate how its proposed satellites could provide light after sunset. The test took pl…

Sunlight for Sale: Reflect Orbital Illumination Test

Reflect Orbital continues to make progress on placing giant mirrors in Earth orbit to produce and sell sunlight after dark. On October 10, the space startup set up spotlights near Lone Pine, California to simulate the illumination its proposed satellites could provide. The plan by Reflect Orbital is to build and operate orbital mirrors that […]

Mt. Whitney Lights Explained: Reflect Orbital's Lone Pine Test

Blinding lights near Mt. Whitney turned out to be a Reflect Orbital test simulating satellite mirrors for search-and-rescue teams near Lone Pine, California.