A space mirror, also known as a sunshade or sunshield, is a hypothetical technology that aims to mitigate the effects of climate change by reflecting a portion of the sun's radiation back into space. The concept of using a reflective surface to cool the Earth's atmosphere has been around for decades, but the idea of placing a mirror in space to achieve this goal is relatively new. The basic idea behind a space mirror is to launch a large, reflective surface into orbit around the Earth. This surface would be positioned in such a way as to intercept a portion of the sun's radiation before it reaches the Earth's atmosphere. The mirror would then reflect this radiation back into space, reducing the amount of heat that is absorbed by the planet. One of the main advantages of a space mirror is that it would be able to reflect a much larger amount of radiation than any surface-based technology. This is because the mirror would be positioned much closer to the sun, and would be able to intercept a greater amount of radiation as a result. Additionally, a space mirror would be able to reflect the sun's radiation evenly across the entire planet, rather than just in specific areas. However, there are also several challenges associated with the development and deployment of a space mirror. One of the main challenges is the cost of launching such a large object into space. Additionally, the mirror would need to be positioned in a geosynchronous orbit in order to remain in a fixed position relative to the Earth. This would require a significant amount of fuel and maneuvering, which could be difficult to achieve. Despite these challenges, the concept of a space mirror remains an intriguing possibility for mitigating the effects of climate change. While it is unlikely to be a silver bullet solution, it could potentially be used in combination with other technologies to help reduce the impact of global warming.
climate change, radiation, orbit, reflection, sunshield
CITATION : "John Lewis. 'Space Mirror.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=255779 (Accessed on July 20, 2025)"
Space Mirror is a type of climate engineering technology that is designed to reflect a portion of the sun's radiation away from the Earth. It works by launching a large reflective mirror into space, which is then positioned in a geosynchronous orbit around the planet. This mirror is able to reflect a portion of the sun's radiation away from the planet, thus cooling the Earth's atmosphere.
Climate engineering, space mirror, solar radiation, geosynchronous orbit, reflectivity.
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