Locals in a rural area of California were startled earlier this month to see dazzlingly bright light shining down from nearby mountains at night, illuminating a swathe of the desert below. The nocturnal illumination was a live demonstration by Reflect Orbital, a US startup planning to erect thousands of giant mirrors in low-Earth orbit to reflect sunlight onto the Earth during the night-time, The Guardian reported.
The Sierra Nevada Ground Test and Eärendil-1
The night-time light demonstration took place near the town of Lone Pine in the Sierra Nevada region. Reflect Orbital partnered with the China Lake Mountain Rescue team to run grid searches, stretcher carries, and equipment-handling drills, Gadget Review reported. Responders worked under visibility extending roughly three miles at approximately full-moon brightness. Gadget Review confirmed that the light came from powerful ground-based spotlights near Mount Whitney rather than an actual spacecraft.
The company’s commercial ambitions hinge on deploying an initial demonstration satellite named Eärendil-1. According to The Conversation, Eärendil-1 will carry an 18-by-18-metre thin-film reflector and operate in low Earth orbit at approximately 625 kilometers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved Reflect Orbital’s proposal in July to launch the experimental spacecraft, as outlined in federal filings. The startup has also booked two dedicated launches with India’s Skyroot Aerospace using the Vikram-1 rocket and the in-development Vikram-1U, shifting authorization questions toward India’s IN-SPACe.
Reflect Orbital Aims to Launch 50,000 Satellites
Reflect Orbital aims to launch 50,000 satellites into space over the next decade. The proposed system would redirect sunlight onto the ground on demand, with intended applications ranging from keeping solar farms generating energy after sunset to assisting emergency responders and bathing crops in light. The company argues that boosting the energy output of solar panels at night will reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Environmentalists and astronomers have raised sharp objections. A coalition represented by Earthjustice asked the FCC in August to reconsider its approval. Jan Hasselman, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, called the project an idiotic project,
adding, There needs to be some sort of discussion and analysis before we grant these people the right to fundamentally alter the night sky.
Critics point to potential disruptions of circadian rhythms, animal migration, and celestial observation.
Space Mirrors May Cause Significant Sky Glow
Mathematical models analyzed by recent preprint studies indicate that reflected space light does not stop at the edge of a targeted beam. For a proposed future 54-metre mirror, sky glow 14 kilometers away could remain brighter than a full moon across most of the sky.
Reflect Orbital maintains that most people and most places will never see this light.
The startup asserts that it has engaged in substantive discussions with scientists and astronomers to avoid sensitive areas like national parks and astronomical sites. Meanwhile, regulators across different jurisdictions must determine who authorizes orbital illumination when the light inevitably travels beyond a customer’s target area.
