Thinking about Sunshades, Starships and the EarthCup L1 Project

The EarthCup L1 Sunshade Project aims to develop solar sails that can be used to reduce Earth's temperature by intercepting solar energy. The project involves a competition with 10 teams, each tasked with designing and deploying 1-meter hexagonal membranes using a dispenser. The initiative is designed to explore the potential of solar sails for climate mitigation, with the goal of creating a stable platform near the Sun-Earth L1 point. The project is supported by private funding and aims to engage researchers, universities, and policymakers in a global effort. The dispenser is designed to handle up to 50 Msats, each deployed from a single rocket launch. The project seeks to develop a unique deployment method for hexagonal satellites, which are referred to as "Msats."

• The Kennedy et al. paper proposes a lightsail of 700,000 square kilometers placed in a non-Keplerian orbit near the Sun-Earth L1 point, reducing insolation on Earth by about a quarter of one percent. This would result in a temperature drop of 1.8℃, similar to the 'little ice age.'
• The project is part of a broader effort to address climate change and resource depletion, with the idea that solar sails could be used to generate power while reducing Earth's solar constant.
• The initiative is structured as a competitive framework, with the first phase focusing on designing and packaging the sails, and the second phase aiming to engage a wide range of stakeholders in a global effort.

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