Post #4245661

2026-07-30 16:03 UTC

After modelling this in detail, I can say that that these companies can't even do basic geometry, apparently. They want tens of thousands of satellites to have 24 hour sunlight, so sun-synchronous terminator orbits, baybeeee! But as Hugh Lewis pointed out (I know, ew, linkedin sorry) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sun-always-shines-tv-hugh-lewis-tlkbe/ IT DOESN'T FUCKING WORK unless you're above 1400km altitude. And then you're not in the *magical* low-latency low-altitude zone that these companies actually want for fast comms.

Replies (5)

@mathaetaes@infosec.exchange 2026-07-30 16:11

@sundogplanets@mastodon.social This is going to turn into another Theranos-level investor scam... lots of money burned, outrageous salaries for the executives and folks involved pocketing tons of money and ultimately failing. Unlike Theranos, the CEO of Reflect Orbital is a man so he'll get away with less scrutiny, and probably won't face consequences.

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@sundogplanets@mastodon.social 2026-07-30 16:08

This company also posted an ex parte filing (which means they had a super special extra FCC meeting), their satellites are too fucking huge to even be physically possible. They just can't fucking do this. My estimate from looking at this ridiculous sketch is 8x60x10m solar panels... that's a reflecting area of 4800 m^2. The International Space Station, the biggest thing in orbit, has a solar panel area of about 3400 m^2.

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@echopapa@social.tchncs.de 2026-07-30 16:05

@sundogplanets@mastodon.social In German, we would say "Scheiß Physik!"

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@WTL@mastodon.social 2026-07-30 16:07

@sundogplanets@mastodon.social I'm pretty sure these companies are really a grift to take investor money to line the founders pockets. Or the founders are really dumb and didn't math this out correctly.

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@drs1969@mstdn.social 2026-07-30 16:08

@sundogplanets@mastodon.social I'm absolutely convinced it's a scam for getting investment funding. Thats all they have now. Look at the SpaceX IPO vs today. 1/2d in 'value' and the early investors don't care cos they made out when it listed on the stock market. It's just a super fancy version of the Nigerian Prince scam. (See also reflect @#£%ing Orbital)

Open ##4330722