--while this is intriguing, I don't know if one could go up enough in altitude to make a significant difference, given that the thinning of the atmosphere that blocks solar radiation is progressive with altitude but not THAT progressive--in other words, it thins but not hugely.

It would seem to have to thin a LOT to match the effect of the Earth's tilt away from the sun, which is what really decreases the solar radiation during winter months.