The Ashalim Concentrated Solar Power Plant appears as a tiny bright spot in images taken from the International Space Station (ISS) during the day.
Tiny bright spot captured from the ISS. Photo: Samantha Cristoforetti
When looking down at Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) at night, astronauts often see sparkling lights emanating from cities, ships, and other human activities. However, spotting artificial light during the day is much more challenging.
On August 25, astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti from the European Space Agency (ESA) shared three photos of Earth taken from the ISS, showcasing a tiny bright spot standing out against the surrounding brown landscape. “An interesting sight: A bright spot in the Negev Desert. It is unusual to see artificial light during a daytime flight,” she wrote.
“This is a concentrated solar power plant, utilizing technology to harness renewable energy from the Sun. The plant features one of the tallest solar towers in the world,” Cristoforetti explained.
Ashalim Solar Power Plant with 50,000 mirrors and a large central tower. Photo: BrightSource
The Negev Desert in Israel is home to the Ashalim Solar Power Plant. This facility employs a system of 50,000 mirrors, also known as heliostats, to concentrate sunlight onto a tower approximately 250 meters tall. Ashalim has an installed capacity of 121 MW and can provide clean energy to 120,000 homes. This structure is large enough to create the bright spot that Cristoforetti observed from the ISS.
The crew aboard the ISS has numerous opportunities to observe Earth both day and night. They experience 16 sunrises and sunsets as they orbit the planet each day. In addition to maintaining the station, conducting research, and performing experiments, astronauts also capture images of impressive natural landscapes or man-made structures below.
