The United States is preparing to launch a satellite with a 60-foot-wide mirror. The US Federal Communications Commission has approved the launch of one such satellite by California-based startup Reflect Orbital.
The project aims to illuminate regions of Earth at night by reflecting sunlight from space. Satellite mirrors will send sunlight to specific areas of the Earth at night, providing light even after dark.
However, this huge advance in technology has caused deep anxiety and fear among astronomers and environmental scientists around the world. Learn how this technology works, what it will be used for and what its potential benefits are, as well as why many scientists oppose it.
Reflect Orbital named their first experimental satellite ‘Yarandil-1’. It is scheduled to launch into low Earth orbit later this year.
Size and Height: Initially, the satellite will be the size of a small refrigerator. After launch, it will be placed about 400 miles (640 kilometers) above Earth.
Mirror deployment: Once in orbit, the satellite will reveal a 60-foot (18-meter) wide square mirror.
Range: The giant mirror in space will perfectly reflect sunlight into a circular area on Earth about 3 miles (5 km) away.
Why are scientists worried??
Scientists, astronomers and wildlife experts strongly objected to the approval. Their main reasons for concern are:
1) Astronomical damage
Ruhi Dalal, director of public policy at the American Astronomical Society, clarified in a letter to the FCC that the project is not in the public interest. Scientists need dark skies to study distant stars and galaxies with powerful telescopes; Yet a network of 50,000 bright reflectors could damage a multibillion-dollar space science project. Samantha Lawlor, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada, warns that it is not possible for one country to change the way the night sky looks for the rest of the world.
2. Severe disruption of circadian rhythms or biological rhythms The entire ecosystem of the earth depends on the natural cycle of day and night. Sudden exposure to sunlight at night will disrupt a person’s sleep cycle. This will severely affect animal movement, feeding habits and flowering time of plants, posing a major threat to the environment.
3. Aviation and Shipping Hazards. Scientists have also expressed concern that intense light caused by replacing mirrors in space could confuse commercial flight operators, putting them at risk of major accidents.