BIG READ | US backs giant mirror in space to create ‘sunlight on demand’
The US FCC has approved Reflect Orbital to test a satellite designed to reflect sunlight back to Earth, sparking concerns about safety, astronomy, and environmental impacts. The company plans to scale this to 50,000 satellites by 2035.
Why it matters
The approval highlights the regulatory challenges posed by 'new space' commercial activities and the potential for unintended environmental and scientific consequences.
A giant mirror to create “sunlight on demand” was just approved by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), despite opposition from astronomers, the public and real safety concerns.
The FCC approved the company Reflect Orbital to test one satellite, Earendil-1, as a means of reflecting the sun’s rays back to Earth for extra solar energy and wide-area lighting. The light is expected to cover an area about 5km wide and will require repointing every four minutes.
And this is just the start. Reflect Orbital plans to have more than 50,000 satellites in action by 2035, which they claim will be used across agricultural, emergency response and other industrial sectors.
There are many problems with this proposal, including impacts these satellites will have on human health and safety, as well as on astronomy and the low-Earth environment.
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