A startup wants to sell sunlight at night. So it lit up Mount Whitney.

Key Points:

• Reflect Orbital, a California startup, tested powerful spotlights near Lone Pine to simulate its plan of using space-based mirrors to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night, aiming to illuminate areas like city streets and aid search-and-rescue operations.
• The test involved collaboration with China Lake Mountain Rescue, demonstrating that the artificial illumination was slightly brighter than a full moon and improved visibility for searchers up to three miles.
• Reflect Orbital has secured two rocket launches from Skyroot Aerospace and received Federal Communications Commission approval to operate its first spacecraft, marking progress toward deploying its mirror satellites.
• The project has faced criticism from astronomers, scientists, and dark-sky advocates who warn that artificial nighttime illumination could disrupt astronomical observations, wildlife behavior, natural light cycles, and human health.
• DarkSky International's CEO expressed serious concerns, describing the initiative as an unprecedented threat to the natural nighttime environment.