Space mirrors could ruin astronomy — and your eyes
Reflect Orbital has received FCC approval to launch a satellite mirror designed to reflect sunlight onto Earth for energy and lighting purposes. Astronomers have raised concerns regarding light pollution and potential safety risks to human vision.
Why it matters
The project highlights the tension between commercial space innovation and the preservation of the night sky for scientific research.
Solar energy, at any time of day or night — that’s the dream of space mirror projects. Futurists have been imagining satellite mirrors that could reflect the sun’s light onto the Earth’s surface for over a century. Russian scientists experimented with the concept in the ’90s with the Znamya project. The idea is to put a large mirror in orbit and angle it such that sunlight can be reflected onto a specific geographical area for illumination or the generation of solar power.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in