The Russian Plan To Use Space Mirrors To Turn Night Into Day (vice.com)

merbs writes: Throughout the early 90s, a team of Russian astronomers and engineers were hellbent on literally turning night into day. By shining a giant mirror onto the earth from space, they figured they could bring sunlight to the depths of night, extending the workday, cutting back on lighting costs and allowing laborers to toil longer. If this sounds a bit like the plot of a Bond film, well, it's that too. The difference is that for a second there, the scientists, led by Vladimir Sergeevich Syromyatnikov, one of the most important astronautical engineers in history, actually pulled it off.

Comments

Re:Insanity.

[captjc]

Yeah, but just think of it, a 168 hour work week. People will no longer need to go home at night and can work 24/7! Think of all the profits!

Plus the syndicates will finally be free of that menace, Batman. There is no Batman if there is no night time.

Re:Already been done...sort of

[jklovanc]

The Norway installation is there not to extend daylight but to direct sunlight to the town square so that people can experience direct sunlight. They used to get no direct sunlight for six months of the year. It would be unsettling to be in the shade six months of the year.

Re:Insanity.

[Gavagai80]

Keep in mind that you can't stop maintaining the street lights and you'll have to use them a lot of nights, because space mirrors don't work when it's cloudy or foggy.