h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I noted the post you just gave indicating your employer. I've been meaning to get a proposed quick fix to man-made climate change looked at by experts there. The sole question of feasibility that I focus on concerns high-temperature optics, and then if that's not an obstacle my proposal should work (technically, if not politically for some reason).

The proposal is rather simple, with only details to be settled upon. A recent New York Times article indicated that there is some movement in the direction of my proposal, first by considering geo-engineering, and second by considering direct filtering rather than the other possible ways of geo-engineering.

Imagine, if you will, 1) a massive array of mirrors in orbit parallel to Earth, 2) a massive filter at altitude above ground (say, 1/2 mile), with 3) an optical system and a solar furnace between them . The array of mirrors could go up stacked like potato chips in a can and be arrayed using some smart robotics. The massive filter, using known technology would have as quick a drawing power as possible. The optical system and furnace would be best with one geosynchronous satellite over Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador and the furnace on the mountain's top. The other parts of the optical system would include perhaps two or three other satellites with guiding optics. What to do with the filtered gasses would be a little up in the air, so to speak, with various chemical, material an ecological possibilities.

I just worry a bit about our pace of attacking the problem, and I hope you will consider having some engineers take a careful look at this idea. I had worked out a bit more detail, but none that won't either be thought of quickly or improved upon by experts, aside from the necessity of keeping birds away from the filter with a smart deflection system.

Thanks for your time,
Julzes (my RL name is at my PS)

That sounds very interesting. I've recently been reading some different news stories about geo-engineering proposals, such as reforesting the Sahara and the Australian outback, seeding oceanic dead zones with iron filings, space mirror systems that could also be power sources (I think the Japanese may be in the actual planning stages for a space based solar farm but it's not designed with global warming in mind other than as an alternative to fossil fuels.)

However, my job for NASA (I'm employed by a contractor) is a fairly low level technical one and basically consists of me tending some computers and film scanners all day. I digitize the astronaut film. I really don't interact with anyone that could move this along.

Here's the current project I'm working on if you're interested.
http://apollo.sese.asu.edu/index.html

I'll look for a truly more direct approach.

What you're working on looks important for myth debunking (it was a Hollywood stunt and never happened for real). People actually apparently can be led to believe the most ridiculous things about history (of course, we already knew that), as in a convenience store close to me more than one person on the week of the fortieth anniversary recently passed came in saying they believed we never landed on the Moon.

Do, please, pass along my proposal or the gist of it if you happen to get engaged in significant conversation with someone who is in a position of power or great expertise.