Rob Williamson
@eswag.dju.social.ap.brid.gy
I program #SpringBoot web services and have now managed to avoid managing people. I used to program dev tools & before that, program mobile phones.
Once ran the same early […]
🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://dju.social/@eswag, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
Once ran the same early […]
🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://dju.social/@eswag, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
@futurebird he's earned his dad jokes.
November 14, 2025 at 10:05 PM
@futurebird he's earned his dad jokes.
November 14, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Rob Williamson
Have I mentioned how much I like Nicole Mortillaro? Great article, includes quotes from @JohnBarentine (there were various good reasons why she didn't interview me for this one, but fortunately a lot of other astronomers besides me are really worried about Reflect Orbital's thoughtless plan) […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Have I mentioned how much I like Nicole Mortillaro? Great article, includes quotes from @JohnBarentine (there were various good reasons why she didn't interview me for this one, but fortunately a lot of other astronomers besides me are really worried about Reflect Orbital's thoughtless plan) […]
Reposted by Rob Williamson
Adding to this Reflect Orbital thread: @startswithabang wrote a thorough analysis of all the ways that Reflect Orbital is a terrible idea. Have a read! https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/true-cost-solar-power-night-reflect-orbital/
The true cost of "solar power at night" with Reflect Orbital
Solar power has the disadvantage that there's no Sun at night. Satellite startup Reflect Orbital wants to change that, but at what cost?
bigthink.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Adding to this Reflect Orbital thread: @startswithabang wrote a thorough analysis of all the ways that Reflect Orbital is a terrible idea. Have a read! https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/true-cost-solar-power-night-reflect-orbital/
Reposted by Rob Williamson
This article by two astronomers details many of the points I just talked about and more, and just came out in The Conversation Australia, perfect timing: https://theconversation.com/a-us-startup-plans-to-deliver-sunlight-on-demand-after-dark-can-it-work-and-would-we-want-it-to-264323
A US startup plans to deliver ‘sunlight on demand’ after dark. Can it work – and would we want it to?
Satellites beaming sunlight down to Earth sound like science fiction – and they have astronomers very worried.
theconversation.com
October 9, 2025 at 8:59 PM
This article by two astronomers details many of the points I just talked about and more, and just came out in The Conversation Australia, perfect timing: https://theconversation.com/a-us-startup-plans-to-deliver-sunlight-on-demand-after-dark-can-it-work-and-would-we-want-it-to-264323
Reposted by Rob Williamson
What can you do? The FCC never opened up a comment period on RO's filing for launch, so there's no official way to protest. They may open it up later? Absolutely no info on that.
DarkSky International is working on a petition to be delivered to RO's misguided investors, I will share that as […]
DarkSky International is working on a petition to be delivered to RO's misguided investors, I will share that as […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
October 9, 2025 at 5:36 PM
What can you do? The FCC never opened up a comment period on RO's filing for launch, so there's no official way to protest. They may open it up later? Absolutely no info on that.
DarkSky International is working on a petition to be delivered to RO's misguided investors, I will share that as […]
DarkSky International is working on a petition to be delivered to RO's misguided investors, I will share that as […]
Reposted by Rob Williamson
There are already solutions right here on Earth to many of the problems “sunlight as a
service” purports to solve. This approach is simply a reckless and inefficient use of
Earth orbit, a precious and finite resource.
This list of facts was developed by me and a bunch of very concerned […]
service” purports to solve. This approach is simply a reckless and inefficient use of
Earth orbit, a precious and finite resource.
This list of facts was developed by me and a bunch of very concerned […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
October 9, 2025 at 5:33 PM
There are already solutions right here on Earth to many of the problems “sunlight as a
service” purports to solve. This approach is simply a reckless and inefficient use of
Earth orbit, a precious and finite resource.
This list of facts was developed by me and a bunch of very concerned […]
service” purports to solve. This approach is simply a reckless and inefficient use of
Earth orbit, a precious and finite resource.
This list of facts was developed by me and a bunch of very concerned […]
Reposted by Rob Williamson
Large reflector cross-sections also mean a much higher collision risk from micrometeorites and non-trackable orbital debris. Using typical rates https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S027311772030644X at 625km altitude (the orbit RO proposes to use), such reflectors could expect […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
October 9, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Large reflector cross-sections also mean a much higher collision risk from micrometeorites and non-trackable orbital debris. Using typical rates https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S027311772030644X at 625km altitude (the orbit RO proposes to use), such reflectors could expect […]
Reposted by Rob Williamson
The costs to orbital safety:
“Sunlight as a service” requires huge mirrors in orbit, which would increase the likelihood of collisions between satellites.
Loss of control could lead to tumbling, causing erratic, bright flashes in the sky.
“Sunlight as a service” requires huge mirrors in orbit, which would increase the likelihood of collisions between satellites.
Loss of control could lead to tumbling, causing erratic, bright flashes in the sky.
October 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM
The costs to orbital safety:
“Sunlight as a service” requires huge mirrors in orbit, which would increase the likelihood of collisions between satellites.
Loss of control could lead to tumbling, causing erratic, bright flashes in the sky.
“Sunlight as a service” requires huge mirrors in orbit, which would increase the likelihood of collisions between satellites.
Loss of control could lead to tumbling, causing erratic, bright flashes in the sky.
Reposted by Rob Williamson
The costs to ecology:
These are too numerous to even try to list.
All life on Earth – including humans, migrating birds, pollinating insects, plankton in the oceans – depends on the natural day-night cycle of light and darkness. Many hundreds of scientific studies document the importance to […]
These are too numerous to even try to list.
All life on Earth – including humans, migrating birds, pollinating insects, plankton in the oceans – depends on the natural day-night cycle of light and darkness. Many hundreds of scientific studies document the importance to […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
October 9, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The costs to ecology:
These are too numerous to even try to list.
All life on Earth – including humans, migrating birds, pollinating insects, plankton in the oceans – depends on the natural day-night cycle of light and darkness. Many hundreds of scientific studies document the importance to […]
These are too numerous to even try to list.
All life on Earth – including humans, migrating birds, pollinating insects, plankton in the oceans – depends on the natural day-night cycle of light and darkness. Many hundreds of scientific studies document the importance to […]