Details. • Mirror satellite model. • High quality low-poly mesh. • Quads only for optimal subdivision. • PBR materials used. • BLEND file is render ready
• Multi purpose satellite for terraforming, asteroid mining, solar sail propulsion and artificial daylight creation.
This model is an original design mirror satellite. This satellite consists out of a central unit equipped with a large ion thruster for moving and several smaller thrusters for maneuvering. Connected to the unit are two large mirror arrays, each with a central pv solar panel to power the central unit and to adjust the vocal point of the mirrors.
In practice, this satellite could service 4 different purposes.
Asteroid mining, terraforming and providing light on a dark side of a planet and solar seal propulsion
Asteroid mining. In the case of asteroid mining, the mirrors are used to heat up an asteroid. This can be done in first processing stages to extract volatile substances as water and ammonia. For further processes, the array can be used to bring the asteroid to a melting point where the materials can be separated, ether by centrifugal force or by melting point.
Terra forming. Mirror satellites can make colder planets livable by heating up parts of its surface. It can also thicken a planets atmosphere by heating up its (dry) ice on its poles, melting and vaporizing it.
Lighting up dark sides of planets and moons. Some moons and planets have a extremely long day and night cycle. As an example, a night on our moon takes roughly 330 hours. By using mirrors, moon colonies can have a artificial 24 hour day/night cycle.
Solar sailing. Solar sails are a propulsion method that use reflective sails order to travel to other star systems. By bouncing of incoming light ships using this methods can reach speeds far beyond conventional rocket engines can. Project starshot is one example of possible near future use of this. In order to accelerate fast, such ships need a strong light source, generated by a laser, or by mirrors such as used in this satellite.