‘Sunlight on demand’: U.S. approves test of giant space mirror to redirect sunlightThe U.S. has approved plans for an experimental satellite carrying a massive mirror, designed to test if “sunlight on demand” is possible by reflecting sunlight onto targeted areas on Earth.
The Federal Communications Commission issued a license Thursday allowing California-based startup Reflect Orbital to launch and operate its Earendil-1 satellite.
AdvertisementThe experimental satellite is designed to test whether sunlight can be reflected from space onto small, targeted areas of Earth after dark.
By adjusting the mirror’s angle, the satellite redirects natural sunlight to briefly illuminate an area.
The FCC approved the company to launch and operate a single demonstration satellite, clearing it to use the radio frequencies needed to test its technology.
‘Sunlight on demand’: U.S. approves test of giant space mirror to redirect sunlight
The U.S. has approved plans for an experimental satellite carrying a massive mirror, designed to test if “sunlight on demand” is possible by reflecting sunlight onto targeted areas on Earth.
The Federal Communications Commission issued a license Thursday allowing California-based startup Reflect Orbital to launch and operate its Earendil-1 satellite.
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The experimental satellite is designed to test whether sunlight can be reflected from space onto small, targeted areas of Earth after dark.
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The spacecraft carries a large, lightweight mirror made of reflective film that unfolds once in orbit and can be precisely aimed at a specific location. By adjusting the mirror’s angle, the satellite redirects natural sunlight to briefly illuminate an area.
The FCC approved the company to launch and operate a single demonstration satellite, clearing it to use the radio frequencies needed to test its technology. The authorization is limited to the satellite’s communications systems and does not approve Reflect Orbital’s broader vision of deploying a fleet of “space mirrors.”
“We find that grant of Reflect Orbital’s application for a single demonstration satellite serves the public interest by permitting Reflect Orbital to test emergent technology that advances American leadership in space, and that petitioners and commenters’ concerns do not warrant either denial or additional conditions on this authorization,” the FCC approval reads in part.
Officials with Reflect Orbital say the technology could have practical applications, including supporting search-and-rescue missions, providing additional light for solar farms at dawn or dusk and extending daylight for certain construction operations.
But the project has drawn sharp criticism from astronomers and environmental scientists, who warn that intentionally reflecting sunlight onto Earth at night could worsen light pollution. Researchers also say artificial nighttime light may disrupt wildlife that depends on natural darkness and affect human sleep cycles and other biological rhythms.
