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Mirrors in the Sky: Ancient Legend or Future Dystopia?

On Reflect Orbital, mirrors in space, and a bright dystopian future.

Alastair Williams

6 min read22 hours ago

Press enter or click to view image in full size Znamya-2, the first and so far only mirror to fly in space and reflect sunlight back to Earth.

In the world of The Lord of the Rings , the morning star bore the name of Eärendil. Song and legend told that he had been a great mariner, that he was born half-man, half-elf, and that after he had ventured into the lands of the godlike Valar, they had sent him and his ship to eternally sail the heavens.

Eärendil should have been slain for daring to set foot on the forbidden lands of the Valar. Yet as he had acted not for himself, Tolkien related, but on behalf of both men and elves he was spared. Instead, the Valar sent him and his ship into the great ocean of the sky.…