AMONG all the different letters and topics you publish, I have not seen any lately on the subject of space, despite the exciting developments over the last two years.

Ranging from the observation of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet's collision with Jupiter, to the little computerised robot on Mars, these projects certainly indicate that there is still strong interest in the stars and planets.

Bearing this in mind, a project taking place in November concerns an experiment being launched from the Mir space station. Code-named Znamya 2.5, it is the latest plan to cut emissions from burning fossil fuels to power street lights by using a 25 metre-wide round metallic mirror to reflect sunlight to light up 19 key cities including London, Brussels, Kiev, Quebec and Seattle.

In effect, night will turn into daylight.

It might be that this fantastic project will fail, but, to quote the immortal words of Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, it will be to boldly go where no-one has gone before.

DUNCAN McVEE, Robin Bank Road, Darwen.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.