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Orbital Mirror
A huge reflective surface in orbit around a planet or moon, the purpose of which is to focus sunlight onto the surface. (Read the full article)
| "I am Darth Vader! I love Padame!" (Anakin Skywalker 9/12/2005 4:12:45 PM ) |
| "Orbital Mirrors were actually considered during the Vietnam war to illuminate the DMZ at night.
In the 1950's movie "Gog and Magog", an orbital mirror ( called a heliostat) is suggested as a space based weapon. This was based on an idea of Werhner Von Braun ( See "Conquest of Space ( the book))." (Penny 1/29/2006 5:48:56 PM ) |
| "Also, Orbiting mirrors used as signaling devices for a an orbited manned space station appear in "Brick Moon" by Edward Everrit Hale.
I just needed an excuse to mention this VERY old story that scoops satellites and space stations. " (Penny 1/29/2006 5:51:13 PM ) |
| "Orbital mirrors are also described in Red Mars written by Kim Stanley Robinson in 1993. These are fresnel lenses and can be used for terraforming or as weapons." (anonymous coward 6/16/2006 1:33:12 PM ) |
| "these were not invented by Stover but appear in earlier Star Wars works by Kevin J. Anderson" ( 7/14/2008 4:43:32 AM ) |
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