Orbital reflector will be first sculpture
- 7 years ago
RENO, NEVADA — An artist is working with the Nevada Museum of Art to send a satellite sculpture up into space that can be seen from Earth.
The "orbital reflector" is a satellite that will serve no military, commercial or scientific purpose, the museum said.
The sculpture will be packed inside a small CubeSat that will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket scheduled for early 2018.
Once in orbit at a height of approximately 350 miles (575 km), a 100-foot long diamond-shaped balloon will deploy from the satellite.
The balloon will reflect sunlight back to Earth, causing the CubeSat to be visible to the naked eye, according to the museum. It will stay in space for about two months.
The "orbital reflector" is a satellite that will serve no military, commercial or scientific purpose, the museum said.
The sculpture will be packed inside a small CubeSat that will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket scheduled for early 2018.
Once in orbit at a height of approximately 350 miles (575 km), a 100-foot long diamond-shaped balloon will deploy from the satellite.
The balloon will reflect sunlight back to Earth, causing the CubeSat to be visible to the naked eye, according to the museum. It will stay in space for about two months.