The Sun Gun Project

The Sun Gun Project was a covert U.S. military experiment in the 1980s aimed at harnessing solar energy to shoot concentrated beams of sunlight using giant mirrors to ignite distant targets, potentially as a weapon or for other military purposes. Although it explored the idea of focusing solar power with space-based reflectors, the project faced technical and ethical challenges, and it was ultimately abandoned. The concept illustrated innovative thinking about energy and weaponization, but raised concerns about environmental impact and international security.