Astronomers Horrified by Enormous Mirror Satellite That Reflects Sunlight Back Down to Earth at Night

Key Points:

• The US Federal Communications Commission has approved Reflect Orbital's plan to launch a satellite with a giant mirror designed to reflect sunlight onto dark areas of Earth, aiming to extend solar power generation and provide emergency illumination.
• The project has sparked significant backlash from astronomers, who warn that such satellites would severely disrupt deep space observations and pose an "existential threat" to optical astronomy.
• Biologists also express concerns that artificially altering sunlight could disturb human and wildlife circadian rhythms, migratory behaviors, and aquatic ecosystems, particularly affecting phytoplankton.
• Despite nearly 2,000 public comments opposing the plan, Reflect Orbital intends to launch a prototype satellite, Eärendil-1, later this year, featuring a 60-foot mirror capable of reflecting moonlight-level illumination over nine square miles for short durations.
• The company envisions deploying a constellation of 50,000 mirror satellites by 2035, with 1,000 satellites launched by 2028, a prospect that experts warn could have catastrophic consequences for astronomy and the environment.