Given a billion dollars, build the most visible orbiting satellite possible

As per the title, given

• A billion ($10^9$) dollars.
• Present day technology.
• A year of time (including making projects and testing), (preferred, not compulsory)
• No restriction about maximal nor minimal size of the object nor its orbiting altitude.

Build and put into orbit a satellite that will have the greatest possible apparent magnitude when seen from the surface of earth.

I am interested both in details about the satellite and estimates of its apparent magnitude.

There is no minimum shining time

The device may be visible for any amount of time, you should maximize the average apparent magnitude. For example, if X works only half of the day but the apparent magnitude is more than double than Y that works all day, X is better.

There is no minimum area to be visible from

It does not matter how concentrated the light is, but if it can be seen from just one 'point' it should be adjustable to fire at other locations.

Monument to the future humans

I intend this light in the sky to be a sign for future humans (or whatever intelligent life will develop) that past space faring lifeforms existed in their planet. So it should last millions of year (I thought all orbits lasted forever, hence the lateness of adding this requirement)

posted almost 9 years ago

Caridorc‭

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