Imagine getting a tan in the middle of the night—this fantasy could soon become a reality thanks to the California startup Reflect Orbital, which plans to launch a massive mirror into space...
This innovation, called Space Mirror, will allow sunlight to be reflected onto a specific location on Earth during nighttime. The startup is already accepting applications for this service, and tens of thousands of people have already signed up to reserve their “beam of light.”
The company’s founder and CEO, Ben Nowack, first introduced the project in April at the International Conference on Energy from Space. The idea is to place a massive space mirror on a satellite that will reflect sunlight to a precise point on Earth, providing sunlight during nighttime.
Since then, the company has attracted significant attention. Co-founder and CTO, Tristan Semmelhack, shared on the social media platform X that more than 30,000 people have already applied for a “beam of light,” with the number growing daily. A demo video shows the founder activating a beam of light with the touch of a button via an app, sparking curiosity among sun lovers around the world.
While the concept is fascinating, the details about the cost of this service remain unclear. With satellites playing a crucial role in the project, the overall costs are expected to be enormous. Additionally, it’s unknown how much the service will charge consumers, but obtaining sunlight at night is expected to come with a hefty price tag. According to announcements, Reflect Orbital plans to launch the service in Q4 of 2025, giving potential customers plenty of time to save up for this unique offering.
For those who can’t wait or don’t want to spend that much money, tanning lamps are already available on Amazon for less than $100.
☀️ Sunlight for Sale?
— stephenregenold (@stephenregenold) August 26, 2024
A startup proposes to "sell" sunlight at night. Mirrors in space direct concentrated sunbeams to spots on Earth. 🌍
The company – @reflectorbital – launched with a goal to power solar farms at night. It wants to “enable 24/7 renewable energy.”
A mock… pic.twitter.com/fmFFNtsC7z
