California town blasted with artificial sunlight as startup tests tech

Key Points:

• A California tech startup, Reflect Orbital, conducted a nighttime demonstration near Lone Pine using powerful spotlights to simulate beaming sunlight onto Earth after dark, illuminating a three-mile desert stretch.
• The company plans to deploy 50,000 satellites over the next decade to reflect sunlight onto selected locations, aiming to provide artificial illumination similar to full moon brightness.
• The demonstration aided local rescue volunteers but raised significant concerns from scientists about potential widespread sky glow, disruption to nocturnal wildlife, and the endangerment of ground-based astronomy.
• Critics also warn of risks including mass surveillance, military use, environmental harm, and unresolved regulatory issues, with the Federal Communications Commission acknowledging light pollution concerns fall outside its jurisdiction.
• Reflect Orbital has secured two rocket launches from India’s Skyroot Aerospace for its first experimental satellites, with a mission planned for mid-2027 amid ongoing debates over the project's safety and legality.