US-Based Startup Faces Backlash For Testing Nighttime Sunlight: "Idiotic Project"

Residents in a rural area of California were recently stunned when they spotted a bright light shining down from nearby mountains at night, The Guardian reported. A US-based start-up was behind the test, which was conducted to showcase a futuristic idea of putting thousands of giant mirrors in space to reflect sunlight onto the Earth during the night. The company, Reflect Orbital, hopes to launch 50,000 satellites over the next decade. They argue that the technology could help emergency crews and search-and-rescue teams work safely in the dark, or could even provide power to solar panels at night.

According to the media outlet, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in July approved Reflect Orbital's proposal to launch an initial demonstration satellite next year.

The company had explained that these satellites will orbit the Earth and, via a 59ft-diameter mirror, reflect sunlight in three-mile-wide beams.

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"Search-and-rescue teams are expected to be our first customers, so this was a real-world test conducted alongside teams who would use our technology, a spokesperson for Reflect Orbital said as quoted by the media outlet.

"We'll keep working closely with local communities and authorities wherever we operate, and are excited to show how this technology can help save lives."

However, the environmental groups, astronomers, and local residents have criticised the demonstration. Critics say that all life on Earth evolved around a natural cycle of day and night, and messing with that balance could harm wildlife, disrupt people's sleep, and ruin night skies by adding massive light pollution.

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"This is an idiotic project," Jan Hasselman, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, which is an environmental group, said as quoted. "There are a huge number of unresolved questions and significant potential impacts. Literally all of life on Earth evolved based on the rhythm of day and night, and there is a ton of data showing that messing with this is not a good idea."

"There needs to be some sort of discussion and analysis before we grant these people the right to fundamentally alter the night sky. The proposal for 50,000 of these satellite mirrors is crazy and would really end the night sky as we know it."