- Reflect Orbital plans to launch mirrors to reflect sunlight onto Earth’s surface at night
- A prototype satellite with a 60-foot mirror aims to light a three-mile-wide area on Earth
- The company charges about $5,000 per hour for mirror light with annual contracts
In an idea straight out of a sci-fi movie, a US-based startup is planning to light up the Earth at night by using 50,000 big mirrors orbiting the planet. Pending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval, Reflect Orbital of Hawthorne, California, is aiming to launch a dorm fridge-sized prototype featuring a 60-foot-wide mirror designed to reflect sunlight onto a three-mile-wide patch of Earth. From the ground, the satellite would appear as a glowing dot in the sky, matching the brightness of a full moon.
The company would charge approximately Rs 4.6 lakh ($5,000) an hour for the light of one mirror if a customer signed an annual contract for 1,000 hours or more, according to a report in the New York Times.
Ben Nowack, Reflect Orbital's chief executive, said the company was attempting to build something that could replace fossil fuels and "power everything". He added that the company had raised more than $28 million from investors so far. If the first prototype is a success, two more could follow within a year.
By the end of 2028, Nowack's company is hoping to launch 1,000 larger satellites, and 5,000 of them by 2030. The largest mirrors are planned to be nearly 180 feet wide, reflecting as much light as 100 full moons.
Where Would It Be Used?
The artificially-generated light could be used for one-time events and emergencies, which may require numerous satellites and more effort to coordinate, making the entire exercise costlier. Nowack added that for the solar farms, he may split revenue from the electricity generated by the additional hours of light.
Geoengineering projects that seek to artificially alter the climate have proven controversial, with critics arguing that they could have damaging knock-on effects. Critics say Reflect Orbital's reflective satellites could distract aeroplane pilots, mess up astronomical observations and interfere with circadian rhythms. Additionally, it could confuse animals and alter their breeding as well as migration patterns.
However, the FCC is unlikely to consider these concerns during the application review. Instead, the agency focuses on two primary objectives: preventing radio communication interference and ensuring the spacecraft is safely decommissioned at the end of its mission
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Dimming Sunlight
Last year, the UK government announced a Rs 567 crore (50 million pound) experimental project under which sunlight would be dimmed to potentially curb global warming. One of the experiments involves releasing tiny particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight. Another potential solution is marine cloud brightening in which "ships would spray sea-salt particles into the sky to enhance the reflectivity of low-lying clouds".
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria) is backing the solar geoengineering project, which, if successful, could temporarily reduce surface temperatures, delaying the climate crisis and giving more time for the deep cuts in global carbon emissions needed.
