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Chinese lantern.

Discussion in 'General Astronomy Chat' started by kevan hubbard, Oct 27, 2018.

Chinese lantern.

Started by kevan hubbard on Oct 27, 2018 at 1:28 PM

8 Replies 1234 Views 0 Likes

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  1. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    kevan hubbard, Oct 27, 2018
    #1
    Who's read about this terrible plan China has to illuminate a city,chendung I think?,with an artificial moon?the moon will be mirrors launched into space directing sunlight onto the city at night.the environmental spin is it'll be save money on streetlights and thus reduce carbon emissions.a huge amount of fuel is used to launch stuff into space plus it's more junk in low Earth orbit and it's orbit would decay after a while too.
     
  2. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    kevan hubbard, Oct 29, 2018
    #2
    Although another more practical problem with this artificial moon nonsense that the Chinese don't seem to have thought about........ clouds!
     
  3. Seer

    Seer Well-Known Member

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    Seer, Oct 30, 2018
    #3
    I did hear about this. The Germans during WW2 had plans for something very similar to be used as a weapon against targets on the earth.
     
  4. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    kevan hubbard, Oct 30, 2018
    #4
    The Chinese one is only intended to illuminate a city not as a solar canon! Russia experimented with a similar solar reflection aray over Siberia about 10 years ago, luckily it failed and broke up in orbit.
     
  5. Seer

    Seer Well-Known Member

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    Seer, Oct 31, 2018
    #5
    Stated intent would and should not take prevalence over possible uses. If it could be used as a weapon it should not be allowed and I believe there is a law in place against it but would the law be enforced and by who? This could be a prodding, a testing of the system and establishment.
     
  6. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    kevan hubbard, Oct 31, 2018
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    I would guess that the UN would be the arbitratior on space based weapons?remember that solar cannon in 'the man with the golden gun'?"now that's what I call solar power!"intones Rodger Moore as Christopher Lee cuts his plane in two.would it be possible to focus enough heat on the ground for it to do much damage?clouds would be a problem too.
     
  7. Seer

    Seer Well-Known Member

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    Seer, Oct 31, 2018
    #7
    I don't know personally if it would work as a weapon but judging from the pursuit of it by major powers I inclined to think that it would.
    Has China ever been held accountable in any way for the mess they made when they destroyed their own satellite?
    I can't remember if I seen the movie The Man With The Golden Gun. If I did it was a very long time ago?
     
  8. Seer

    Seer Well-Known Member

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    Seer, Oct 31, 2018
    #8
    I'm sorry for being such a serious downer :oops:
     
  9. kevan hubbard

    kevan hubbard Well-Known Member

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    kevan hubbard, Oct 31, 2018
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    You'd have to focus the light into an intense beam like a laser.but how much heat would it retain enroute to it's intended target.the Earth's atmosphere would sap it of a lot.im sure the militaries of many countries will have looked at this and the fact that it doesn't exist would suggest that it is not possible at the present stage of technology, that's not to say that it's not possible just not possible now.plus you could only attack one small target with it making it far less destructive that even conventional explosives delivered by rocket.
     
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