Скачать или смотреть Orbital Mirrors for Nighttime Lighting | Inside Reflect Orbital — Interview with CEO Ben Nowack

Can we light disaster zones, remote worksites, or public events at night using sunlight reflected from space? In this in‑depth conversation, Reflect Orbital co‑founder & CEO Ben Nowack walks us through “sunlight‑as‑a‑service”: orbital mirrors that steer natural sunlight to Earth for on‑demand illumination—from emergency response and search‑and‑rescue, to large‑area public lighting and special events. We focus on lighting use‑cases, control, pointing, deployment, and safety.

What we cover
The core idea: mirrors in low Earth orbit redirecting sunlight for scheduled or responsive illumination (events, civil infrastructure, emergency operations).
First‑mission plan and public demos: Reflect says its first satellite is targeted as early as Spring 2026 with a limited 10‑location “world tour” lighting series.
Technical challenges: altitude control, drag/desaturation, and the durability of an ultra‑thin reflective film deployed with tape‑measure‑style booms and origami folding.
Expected visual experience: a broad spot comparable to full‑moon–class brightness for a few minutes at peak during each pass, depending on conditions.
Use‑cases: emergency response and SAR, lighting in areas without infrastructure, industrial/night operations, agriculture/daylight extension, and high‑latitude communities.

About the guest & company
Reflect Orbital is a Los Angeles–based startup developing a constellation for on‑demand orbital lighting (with longer‑term energy concepts under study). The company raised a $20M Series A (May 14, 2025) led by Lux Capital, with participation from Sequoia Capital and Starship Ventures.

Ben Nowack is the CEO and co‑founder of Reflect Orbital.
Before Reflect, he studied mechanical engineering and completed two internships at SpaceX; earlier, he ran the “Ben and Builds” channel, documenting hands‑on projects from RC aircraft to a DIY fusion reactor.

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